Former Impractical Jokers star Joe Gatto responds to sexual assault allegations

Gatto was responding to allegations that were made on TikTok this week by a woman who says that, when she was 19-years-old, she met Gatto after recognizing him from the series, and eventually accepted an invitation to his hotel room. (Among other things, she shows several messages apparently exchanged between herself and Gatto’s official social media accounts.) Although she doesn’t go into explicit detail, the woman states bluntly in one video, “I got sexually assaulted by Joe Gatto.”

Gatto parted ways with Impractical Jokers in 2021, writing on his Instagram at the time that “due to some issues in my personal life, I have to step away.” (The same post mentioned that Gatto and his wife Bessy “have decided to amicably part ways,” although later reports suggest that they reconciled in 2023.) Since leaving the series, Gatto has continued to tour as a stand-up, and released a comedy special, Messing With People, in 2024.