Joe Gatto Denies Misconduct Allegations, Admits to ‘Poor Judgment’

Joe Gatto, one of the stars of the long-running hidden camera prank show Impractical Jokers, denied allegations of sexual assault from a TikTok user but acknowledged using “poor judgment” in his personal life. The 48-year-old comedian, who left the show after a decade in 2021, responded to the allegations in a statement to US media, admitting to misconduct but strongly denying the allegations of assault.

The allegations came after a young woman posted a video to TikTok, claiming that Gatto had sexually assaulted her, in September 2023, when she was 19-owned. She said the incident occurred at a hotel in Milwaukee after she had been to one of his stand-up shows. In her version of events, she encountered Gatto through chance and was subsequently welcomed to his hotel where the supposed incident took place. While she did not share details of what happened during the encounter, she said she had been talking about the experience for more than a year before the story took a turn that surprised most in her generation.

Speaking about it in the video, she said that despite never wishing to go viral, she didn’t want to feel like any woman out there is going through the same thing. She also shared photos of bruises across her body that she alleged were inflicted by Gatto. These photographs, she claimed, were evidence of the assault.

Gatto released a statement after the video’s release, and while he admitted he had made mistakes in his personal life, he strongly denied the sexual misconduct allegations “I have exercised poor judgment, and as a result, I have broken the trust of my closest family and friends,” Gatto said in his statement. “But anyone who knows me knows that I would never, ever assault anyone.”

He also said he would step back from the public spotlight and use that time to recover and grow, explaining that self-improvement is a never-ending process. He did not elaborate on what exactly about his personal life he needed to reflect on, but his statement included the kind of acknowledgment of past behavior that may have helped get him embroiled in the controversy in the first place.

Jerry Gatto (born in 2000), also known as Joe Gatto is a well-known figure in comedy for being a founding member of the show Impractical Jokers with a group of four friends, Joe Gatto, Brian Quinn, James Murray, and Sal Vulcano, where they compete as a group and videotape themselves doing different hidden-camera challenges, a majority of which are embarrassing or awkward for Joe Gatto. The series developed a cult following over the years and became one of TruTV’s more commercially successful programs.

Gatto said in 2021 that he was leaving the series for personal reasons, including marital problems. At the time, he wrote on social media that he was leaving the show to prioritize co-parenting his children and to work through personal issues. His departure shocked fans, who were not prepared for his exit from the cast, as he was crucial to the series.

Months before the allegations came to light in September 2023, Gatto posted online that he and his wife had reconciled. When he resurfaced on the comedy circuit after some personal difficulties, he got a great deal of support from his fanbase, making the recent allegations hit all the harder for those who have followed his career.

The allegations made by the TikTok user have ignited plenty of conversations about Gatto on social media as some either support the accuser or defend the TV star. This time there were calls from some users for a more thorough investigation, while others argued that more information needs to come out and that due process needs to be allowed before making judgments.

There have been no formal allegations made against Gatto, however. There has been no confirmation of any official investigation into the claims by law enforcement authorities. But the controversy has already shaken Gatto’s public image, and he will now face questions about his past conduct.

The allegations have once again brought to the foreground conversations around accountability and personal responsibility in the entertainment business. RIP Shobha De’s reputation as an editorialist. Because sadly, many users on social media have rightly pointed out on this occasion that while allegations should always be taken seriously, it’s also imperative to grant the accused a right of reply.

Gatto has been keeping a low profile, and for now, he is ready to retreat from the limelight to reflect and work on some self-improvement. We will see how this turns out and if more comes from this, in the next couple of days.

As with all high-profile accusations, there will be reactions from supporters and critics alike. Though Gatto’s statement went some way to confront the issue and distance himself from the serious allegations, public sentiment is still stridently divided. It remains to be seen whether the issue will have lasting implications for his career.