An “Impractical Jokers” star is facing allegations that are making his fans question his morality.
Joe Gatto, 48, is an American comedian and actor who was a cast member on the show “Impractical Jokers.” A woman posted a TikTok on March 20 about sexual assault allegations regarding Gatto following a performance in Milwaukee. The victim claimed she was only 19 years old when the alleged crime occurred in 2023.
The two had been messaging prior to and after the show; Gatto invited her to his hotel room, which was supposedly when the assault occurred. According to an article posted by USA Today by Edward Segarra, Gatto allegedly cancelled his upcoming tours to enter a treatment facility after the claims.
Gatto is best known for his work and appearance on “Impractical Jokers,” alongside Brian Quinn, James Murray, and Sal Vulcano. The series is devoted to the four “lifelong friends” daring each other to act outrageously in public. The show, which airs on TBS, has been on since December 15t 2011.
Ava Carr is a freshman from Medway, Mass., and is also a fan of the show. Ava believes Gatto’s behavior is going to lose him fans.
“His fanbase has decreased since then, and people don’t want to follow him because of what he did,” she said. “It’s not a good influence for his kids [to see].”
Shane Sexton, a junior from Northampton, Mass., has fond memories of watching the show with his father. Shane does not think that these allegations are going to affect Gatto’s fans’ opinions on him, but that he won’t fade into obscurity.
“He has quite the following, and I think he’s still gonna sell tickets,” Shane said.
James Murray has been a part of the cast since the debut. Allegations against Murray began to surface shortly after Gatto’s similar claims.
Charlie Honig, a junior from Amherst, Mass, and has been a longtime fan of the show.
“I’m honestly very upset and disappointed, because I idolized those guys as a kid,” she said. “As a teenage girl, [the allegations] just make me very upset. I am still a fan of the show, but I’m no longer a fan of [Gatto]. If the allegations are true, I hope that the other jokers will distance themselves.”
