Joe Gatto, the funny guy we all recognize from Impractical Jokers, has landed in some pretty heavy stuff lately. Two women have stepped up with allegations of misconduct, and it’s led him to pull the plug on his comedy tour and check into a treatment program.
It all started when a young woman, just 19 back then, said Gatto assaulted her after one of his shows in Milwaukee in 2023. She took to TikTok to tell her side, sharing screenshots of what she claims are messages from him and even a photo of a bruise she says he left behind. Not long after, another woman who used to work with him on Impractical Jokers opened up to People magazine. She says Gatto harassed her for years, with things crossing the line after she hit 18—think unwanted touching and constant invites to his hotel room.
Gatto didn’t stay quiet about it. In a statement to People, he owned up to some “poor judgment” and said he’d let down the people he cares about most. But he was quick to shut down the assault claims, saying, “Anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone.” When the second story broke, his rep just pointed back to that same statement. A few days later, he shared that he’s choosing to step into an inpatient program to “keep working on myself” and thanked his fans, friends, and family for sticking by him.
The ripple effect was instant. His Let’s Get Into It tour, which was supposed to bring his comedy all over the country, is off the table now. This hits extra hard since Gatto’s been trying to carve out a solo path after leaving Impractical Jokers in 2021. Back then, he was dealing with some personal rough patches, like splitting from his wife, Bessy. They’ve since patched things up, even celebrating their 10-year anniversary in 2023.
If you hop online, you’ll see people are all over the place about this. Some fans are floored and bummed out, while others are holding firm, leaning on his denial and the guy they’ve seen on TV. It’s also kicked up a bigger chat about accountability in entertainment—a world that’s still figuring out how to handle messes like this.
Right now, Gatto’s taking a breather from the spotlight to focus on getting himself together. As he digs into this treatment and reflection, everyone—fans and the industry alike—will be keeping an eye on how he moves through this tough spot.
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