An article published last Thursday (7), on the website of “Rolling Stone” magazine, brought to light testimonies from two current employees and 14 former employees, all of them sharing the worrying allegation that the program “The Tonight Show”, presented by Jimmy Fallon, it’s been a toxic work environment for several years. The reports mention episodes of bullying, moral harassment and other abusive behaviors.
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According to the group of whistleblowers, the hostile environment begins with Fallon’s volatile behavior, which oscillates between days of positive disposition and moments of extreme aggression. This climate extends to the program’s leadership, which has been unstable, with nine different showrunners in just nine months.
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All contributors who shared their experiences with the magazine chose to remain anonymous, out of fear of reprisals. Seven former employees say their mental health conditions were harmed due to their alleged working circumstances on “The Tonight Show.” The article reports that it was common to hear comments about “wishing for one’s own death” and that guests’ dressing rooms were nicknamed “crying rooms.”
“Rolling Stone” highlights that these collaborators played various roles on the program, ranging from members of the production team to administrative staff and writers. Some left their jobs to take care of their mental health, while others were fired. Jimmy Fallon’s representatives had no official comment on the article. NBC, which broadcasts the show, issued a statement declaring: “We are extremely proud of ‘The Tonight Show,’ and providing a respectful work environment is a priority. As in any work environment, issues have been raised by employees; these were investigated and appropriate action was taken. As always, we encourage employees who feel they have experienced or observed behavior inconsistent with our policies to report their concerns so we can appropriately address them.