Todd Owyoung/NBC/Getty Image/FILE
Jimmy Fallon on the set of “The Tonight Show” in April.
CNN –
Jimmy Fallon has apologized to his colleagues for allegations made in a Rolling Stone story published Thursday about a difficult work environment on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” CNN has learned.
During a Zoom call with “The Tonight Show” staff that took place after the story was published, Fallon reportedly said he had no intention of “creating that type of atmosphere for the show,” according to a follow-up story of Rolling Stone, citing unnamed employees who were on the call.
CNN has contacted Fallon’s representatives.
An NBC representative referred CNN to the network’s statement printed in the original Rolling Stone report.
“It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad,” employees claim Fallon said, according to the Rolling Stone article.
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can’t even tell you,” the article quotes Fallon as saying.
“I want the show to be fun, [it] should be inclusive for everyone,” Fallon also reportedly said. “It should be the best show.”
In the original story, 16 current and former employees described a difficult work environment at “The Tonight Show” that they said was, in some cases, detrimental to their mental health. The people were not named in the story because they feared professional repercussions. CNN has not independently verified their claims.
Fallon and The Tonight Show did not comment on the initial story, but a statement from NBC was included in the report.
“We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show and providing a respectful work environment is a top priority,” NBC’s statement said. “Like any workplace, we had employees who raised issues; These were investigated and, if necessary, action was taken. As always, we encourage employees who feel they have experienced or observed behavior that is inconsistent with our policies to report their concerns so we can address them appropriately.”
In 2020, Fallon came under fire after a clip resurfaced from a “Saturday Night Live” sketch in which he performed an impersonation of Chris Rock in which he appeared in blackface.
Fallon gave one Excuse me after a clip of the skit, which originally aired on “SNL” in 2000, resurfaced on social media and sparked criticism.
In recent weeks, Fallon has appeared on the Strike Force Five podcast alongside fellow late-night hosts John Oliver, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers, while their shows have been dark amid the ongoing writers’ strike. Revenue generated by the podcast would benefit unemployed employees of the hosts’ respective shows, they said.