Joe Gatto was one of the top four in Impractical Jokers for nine seasons. The 47-year-old and the other members of the comedy troupe The Tenderloins started the spontaneous reality show in December 2011. But Joe shocked fans when he announced his departure from the show in the middle of the 9th season in December 2021. Joe had unimaginable success on the show with James Murray, Brian Quinn and Sal Vulcano, but he still decided to advance the experience due to problems in his personal life.
Why did Joe Gatto make Joker impractical? Here’s everything you need to know about the improvisational comedian and his exit from the show that made him famous.
Who is Joe Gatto?
Joe Gatto is a stand-up comedian, actor and producer. He was born on June 5, 1976 in Staten Island in an Italian family. His father died of pancreatic cancer in 1995. When Joe was in high school, he joined the improvisation club, as a result of which he met James, Brian and Sal. The quartet eventually got back together after college and formed an improvisational comedy and sketch troupe called The Tenderloins in 1998.
They produced their content on YouTube and Myspace before earning $100,000 to enter NBC’s it’s your Show competition for their Sketch Time Thugs. Joe and his colleagues from Tenderloins were offered their own show with truTV and impractical jokers were born.
Joe’s impractical Joker success
Impractical Jokers has been a huge success since the first episode aired on December 15, 2011. The show was celebrated for its humor and the concept of using hidden cameras to capture the pranks on the show. Joe, James, Brian and Sal became famous after the premiere of the show.
During the first nine seasons, the series hosted tons of celebrity guests, including Joey Fatone, Howie Mandel, Danica McKellar, Guy Fieri and Brooke Shields. There was also a feature film that came out in February 2020 and grossed $ 10 million at the box office.
In a 2018 interview with MassLive, Joe talked about the success of the show and how the concept was conceived by all four members of the Tenderloins. We were thinking about what we could do to make our version of a comedy show with hidden cameras. “We don’t like doing the traditional prank show where we feel bad for people who have jokes about them,” he said. We wondered why we did not become the hallmarks of the show. Ask our three friends to turn the screws on each of us and make the collateral embarrassment the source of comedy.
The success of Impractical Jokers also led to the Tenderloins getting their own game show called Misery Index. The series, hosted by actress Jameela Jamil, aired on TBS for three seasons from 2019 to 2021. There were two teams competing against each other, rating their funny and miserable real-life events on a scale of 1100.
Why did Joe leave Joker impractical?
On December 31, 2021, Joe announced that he was leaving loins and impractical Jokers to focus on his family life. He revealed that he and his wife Bessy were going to break up, so he had to be more present for their daughter Milana (born in 2015) and son Remington (born in 2017). Joe shared the news in an Instagram post that completely surprised the fans.
Hey, guys. Sorry in advance for the long and more serious note below, I just wanted you all to know that I will not bother with inconvenient jokers anymore, he started his long statement, which has earned more than 1 million likes on Instagram.
Together with my friends, I have dedicated a decade of my life to building this franchise and I couldn’t be more proud of what I have achieved. However, due to some problems in my personal life, I have to step aside, Joe added. Bessy and I have decided to part amicably, so now I have to focus on being the best parents and co-parents for our two amazing children.
The comedian continued, outside of my family, my relationships with Murr, Q and Sal have been the most important in my life. I know that you will continue to make the world laugh. And although everyone sees the four of us, this show is only possible thanks to the hard work of the talented team members who work behind the scenes. I am very grateful to have worked with each and every one of you.
Joe thanked his amazing fans for their support during his nine-year stint on the hit show. They say laughter is the best medicine, and I hope that in the last ten years I have been able to offer some of it. “Watching you laugh was my own medicine, especially in these strange and difficult times we are in,” he said. As I work through the challenges I face, I hope and look forward to finding new ways to entertain you. Lots of love, Joe.
Impractical Jokers returned on February 23, 2023 for Season 10 without Joe. It is the first season to be broadcast on truTV and TBS. Celebrity guests from season 10 so far have included Bret Michaels, Paul Rudd, Post Malone, Kesha, John Mayer and more.
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