Jimmy Fallon Apologizes to ‘Tonight Show’ Staffers amid ‘Toxic Workplace’ Accusations: ‘I Feel So Bad’

Jimmy Fallon has reportedly apologized to his staff after multiple former and current staffers claimed he fostered a “toxic” environment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Thursday morning, Rolling stone published a workplace report on a late-night talk show stating that “Tonight’s show has been a toxic workplace for years,” due to Fallon’s “unpredictable behavior.” The editors reportedly spoke with two current and 14 former employees.

Hours after the exposé broke, the publication reported that talk show host Chris Miller spoke about the recent claims of talking to Zoom employees.

Representatives for Fallon and NBC did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Jimmy Fallon on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’.

Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty

‘The Tonight Show’ employees defend Jimmy Fallon after accusations of ‘toxic workplace’ and ‘erratic behavior’

According to Rolling stonetwo employees who joined the meeting claimed that Fallon, 48, said he did not intend to “create that kind of atmosphere for the show.”

“It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad,” the television personality recalled saying during the meeting. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can’t even tell you.”

Staffers noted that Fallon’s apology “seemed pretty serious” and claimed that Fallon acknowledged the constant changes in leadership regarding his showrunners, stressing how Miller was a “great leader” with no plans to change that.

“I want the show to be fun, [it] it should be inclusive for everyone,” the late-night host reportedly said. “It should be the best show.”

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Tracking Rolling stoneIn a statement to PEOPLE, NBC said, “We are incredibly proud Tonight’s show, and providing a respectful work environment is a top priority. As in any workplace, employees asked us questions; they were investigated and measures were taken as necessary. As always, we encourage employees who feel they have experienced or observed behavior that does not comply with our policies to report their concerns so we can address them appropriately.”

Although other employees said Rolling stone witnessed Fallon “shooting at crew members, expressing irritation over the smallest things, cursing and belittling staff out of frustration,” another employee described him as “super communicative” and a “really, really positive guy” while talking to the PEOPLE.

Jimmy Fallon and his family.

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“He praises you when you do a great job and when he’s happy,” said the employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “And all the feedback I’ve gotten is always like, ‘Hey, we don’t have to do that again.’ It was very constructive and helpful to me in continuing to put together a show that he was happy with. I was never belittled, yelled at, anything like that. It’s all exactly the way a boss should give feedback to an employee.”

Rolling stone reportedly contacted about 80 employees while investigating Fallon’s alleged behavior. The publication noted that “while many of them praised Fallon’s immense talent and comedic gifts, none agreed to speak on the spot or had positive things to say about working on Tonight’s show.”

An employee who spoke to PEOPLE said current employees feel “frustrated” by the allegations that surfaced Thursday.

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“I know this sounds cliche and pretty corny: He just wants to make people happy and have a really creative, fun show,” the staffer said. “He wants guests to leave happy and feel like they had a positive experience. He really, truly does.”

They continued: “Things have changed so much for the better and it’s disheartening to see some of these old allegations being brought up again. It’s such a stressful time in the entertainment industry, I can understand how old experiences and grievances can resurface, but none of this sounds like a show I’ve been working on for the past year, more or less.”

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The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon airs weekdays at 11:35 PM ET on NBC.

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