We’ve known for years that Jimmy Fallon has a problem with laughing. He used to often break character during skits on Saturday Night Live and he’ll frequently crack up over his own jokes while hosting The Tonight Show on NBC. But does Jimmy Fallon also have a drinking problem? Concerns over the comedian’s penchant for boozing reached such a crescendo in January that NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt actually addressed the chatter with reporters . “He’s good. He doesn’t have a drinking problem,” Greenblatt said many months ago, adding simply: “He goes out and has fun. He’s had some accidents. Aside from that, he’s in better shape than he’s ever been.” The nature of those accidents, however, is what started some people talking about this issue. Fallon severed his ring finger on a table in June 2015. He chipped his tooth “trying to open medicine for his injured finger” a few months later, as Fallon himself described it. In October of last year, he cut his hand on a bottle of Jägermeister. And in September of this year, a pretty wasted Fallon was seen alone at an New York City punk bar at 3 a.m, which sparked this latest round of NBC concerns. According to The Hollywood Reporter, meanwhile, Josh Lieb recently stepped down as Tonight Show executive producer after signing a deal with Universal Television There could be any number of reasons why he would leave Fallon… but could the host’s drinking problem be among them? A network insider tells The New York Post that some executives “ feared Jimmy was splitting up with his wife over his drinking,” although the two have since patched things up. But this doesn’t mean all is well for Fallon. “He is a heavy drinker,” another source tells the newspaper. “He sees himself as somebody who needs image rehabilitation… He knows he needs to be responsible. He has two kids. He has cut back on his drinking.” And while Fallon still hosts the top-rated show on late night television, a few staff members have left to work for CBS rival James Corden. This has just made matters worse. “Fallon is insanely jealous of Corden,” a source tells Page Six, adding: “There’s been some upheaval, and Jimmy hasn’t handled it well. He’s at the top of his game, but he’s insecure.” Jimmy Fallon Interviews Hillary Clinton, Part 4 Jimmy Fallon Interviews Hillary Clinton, Part 3 Fallon is signed through 2021 with The Tonight Show and his actual numbers continue to blow away the competition. He has the full backing of NBC and isn’t going anywhere any time soon. “Jimmy is one of NBC’s biggest assets, and we’re extremely proud that The Tonight Show continues to be the late-night leader in all metrics, including ratings and social-media awareness,” Greenblatt tells The Post in a new statement. He concludes of Fallon: “He’s in a class by himself, and we’re also looking forward to him hosting the Golden Globes in January. “As a producer and star he delivers over 200 hours of television a year, and any suggestion that we have concerns about his behavior or have given him any kind of ‘warning’ is completely false.” View Slideshow: Jimmy Fallon: SLAMMED for Donald Trump Hair Tussle Fair enough. We’re not trying to start any salacious rumors here. We’re just hoping Fallon is okay and gets the help he needs; if, indeed, he actually needs it.
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Jimmy Fallon: Drinking Too Much? Headed to Rehab?