Jimmy Fallon Shelves Pasta Sauce Venture With Tommy Mottola Amid Epstein Fallout
Jimmy Fallon has reportedly abandoned plans to launch a pasta sauce brand alongside music executive Tommy Mottola following renewed scrutiny over Mottola’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
The proposed culinary venture, which had been expected to debut next year, is no longer moving forward, according to multiple industry reports. Sources cited by Page Six indicated that the project had been “paused” after Mottola’s name surfaced repeatedly in documents connected to the latest release of Justice Department materials related to Epstein. The Hollywood Reporter later characterized the collaboration as “definitely not moving forward.”
Fallon and Mottola have maintained a longstanding personal friendship. The two have been photographed together at high-profile restaurants, including New York’s Rao’s, and have occasionally shared glimpses of their outings on social media. Their planned pasta sauce line was said to draw on their shared enthusiasm for Italian cuisine and dining culture.
However, the renewed attention surrounding Mottola’s correspondence with Epstein appears to have altered the trajectory of the business arrangement. Newly public communications reportedly show Mottola engaging in frequent exchanges with Epstein, touching on topics ranging from travel logistics and helicopter rentals to discussions involving private investigators and the emerging #MeToo movement. In one reported exchange, Mottola allegedly advised Epstein to “shut up and lay low.”
Documents also indicate that Mottola visited Epstein’s residences in New York and Paris between 2006 and 2008, a period after Epstein had served jail time related to charges of soliciting minors. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Mottola, the former CEO of Sony Music Entertainment and ex-husband of Mariah Carey, has not been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein. Nonetheless, the reputational implications of the renewed document releases have prompted fallout across the entertainment and corporate landscape.
Fallon has not publicly commented on the decision to step away from the pasta sauce venture. Mottola has likewise not issued a new statement regarding the business collaboration’s reported cancellation.
The move comes amid broader industry reverberations tied to the Epstein files. In recent days, Casey Wasserman announced he would sell his namesake talent agency after internal and external pressure intensified following revelations of his past correspondence with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. In a memo to employees, Wasserman apologized for “past personal mistakes” that had caused discomfort within the organization, stating that his continued leadership had become a distraction.
While the proposed Fallon-Mottola food line had not yet formally launched, the decision to halt the project underscores the heightened sensitivity surrounding professional partnerships in the wake of renewed Epstein disclosures.
As the entertainment industry continues to navigate the long shadow of Epstein’s network and associations, additional business relationships may face similar examination.
