Joe Gatto, former star of Impractical Jokers, has issued a public response after a woman posted a sexual assault allegation against him on TikTok. The comedian, who was part of the show from 2011 to 2021, has denied the accusations and revealed that he will be stepping away from the public eye.
In the video shared on Thursday, the woman, who had previously kept quiet about her experience, alleges that Gatto sexually assaulted her in 2023, when she was 19 years old. According to her, the incident occurred in September of that year at a hotel in Milwaukee, where she had gone after meeting Gatto at one of his stand-up performances. “I got sexually assaulted by Joe Gatto, the Impractical Joker,” she said in a video, adding she had been talking about her experience “for over a year” and had not expected it to suddenly go viral. She also explained how she had gone to see Gatto at his hotel after the gig saying, “I don't want to go into the details about everything.” She also mentioned how she did not “want any girl to feel” the way he made her feel and posted pictures of bruises on her bottom that the star allegedly caused with his teeth.
Gatto denies abuse
The comedian has denied all allegations and released a statement that said, “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most. But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone. Working on myself is an ongoing process, and I am now going to take some time away from the public eye to focus my energies where I need to.” Gatto was one of the original stars of the popular prank series Impractical Jokers, where he worked alongside James Murray, Brian Quinn, and Sal Vulcano. Beginning in 2011, he appeared in 244 episodes of the show and also featured in Impractical Jokers: The Movie (2020) before leaving the series in 2021.
{{/usCountry}}The comedian has denied all allegations and released a statement that said, “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most. But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone. Working on myself is an ongoing process, and I am now going to take some time away from the public eye to focus my energies where I need to.” Gatto was one of the original stars of the popular prank series Impractical Jokers, where he worked alongside James Murray, Brian Quinn, and Sal Vulcano. Beginning in 2011, he appeared in 244 episodes of the show and also featured in Impractical Jokers: The Movie (2020) before leaving the series in 2021.
{{/usCountry}}Before leaving, he typed out a note on Instagram saying, “Sorry in advance for the long and more-serious-than-usual note below, I just wanted to let you all know that I will no longer be involved with Impractical Jokers. Alongside my friends, I’ve devoted a decade of my life to building this franchise and couldn’t be prouder of what has been accomplished. However, due to some issues in my personal life, I have to step away. Bessy and I have decided to amicably part ways, so now I need to focus on being the best father and co-parent to our two incredible kids.”