Joe Gatto has canceled his comedy tour and is seeking treatment amid allegations of inappropriate behavior.
After the Impractical Jokers alum was accused of misconduct by a young fan and a former employee, Gatto announced that he is putting himself into an inpatient program, in addition to reportedly cutting his tour short.
“Having taken some time to reflect, l’ve decided to voluntarily enter an inpatient program to continue working on myself,” he said in a statement shared with People. “I just want to thank my friends, fans and especially my family for all of their support — never more so than over the last few days.”
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A TikTok user who goes by joozyb previously accused the comedian of sexually assaulting her when she was 19, claiming the incident occurred at a Milwaukee hotel after seeing one of his shows in September 2023.
“I got sexually assaulted by Joe Gatto, the Impractical Joker,” she said in a video posted last Thursday, noting that she’s been sharing about the experience with Gatto “for over a year” and didn’t expect it to suddenly go viral.
Gatto then denied the accusation in a statement shared with Deadline. “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” he said. “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.”
On Sunday, Gatto’s rep referred People to the same statement after a second accuser, who reportedly worked for Gatto during his time on Impractical Jokers, claimed he sexually harassed her.
The woman, who was not named, said she met Gatto at one of his shows when she was 15, and his behavior reportedly became more flirtatious when she turned 18. While working for him after college, she said Gatto inappropriately grabbed her, asked for back massages and once invited her to his hotel room to cuddle, in addition to frequently asking about her sex life.
Along with his Tenderloins comedy troupe—Sal Vulcano, James Murray and Brian Quinn—Gatto starred on the TruTV hidden camera series Impractical Jokers from 2011 to 2021.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available via RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) and their online chat hotline.
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