Comedian Joe Gatto scraps tour and enters inpatient facility after sexual assault claims
Allegations first surfaced on TikTok.
Joe Gatto, best known for prank show Impractical Jokers, has started an ‘inpatient programme’ after being accused of sexual assault.
The comedian, 48, has also cancelled his upcoming stand-up tour, Let’s Get Into It, in the wake of the allegations that first surfaced on TikTok.
The tour section of his website now reads ‘no shows scheduled’. He was previously due to perform across the US, including dates in Las Vegas and Boston.
Gatto said in a statement shared with People: ‘Having taken some time to reflect, I’ve decided to voluntarily enter an inpatient program to continue working on myself.
‘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.’
Over the weekend, a TikTok user accused Gatto of sexually assaulting her when she was 19 in a series of now-deleted videos.
Gatto, who is best known for Impractical Jokers, was accused by a woman on TikTok of sexual assault (Picture: Rex Features)She claimed she first encountered Gatto when he was performing in Milwaukee in September 2023 and exchanged messages with him on Instagram.
The social media user alleged that Gatto later invited her to his hotel room and assaulted her there.
A second woman, who previously worked for Gatto during his time on Impractical Jokers, then came forward and accused him of sexual harassment.
She claimed he inappropriately grabbed her, asked for back massages, once invited her to his room and asked her for a cuddle and made frequent inquiries about her sex life.
She also alleged to People that she was warned by a former employee that he was ‘sometimes flirty and handsy’, would ‘often tell inappropriate jokes’ and advised her to ‘shut it down if he did anything creepy.’
Gatto has cancelled his tour and entered an inpatient facility (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)In a statement with Page Six, Gatto said: ‘I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most. 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.
Gatto started his career in the comedy troupe The Tenderloins, formed in 1998 along with Sul Vulcano, James Murray and Brian Quinn.
They uploaded sketches online, accumulating millions of views, and in 2007, won $100,000 (£77,000) in an NBC competition.
In 2011, Gatto and the rest of The Tenderloins began starring in prank TV show Impractical Jokers on TruTV.
Gatto was also accused by a former employee of sexual harassment (Picture: Kyle Stevens/REX/Shutterstock)A decade later, Gatto announced he was stepping away from the show to focus on co-parenting his two children after splitting with his wife, Bessy Gatto.
The couple reconciled in 2023.
Since 2022, Gatto has co-hosted the weekly Two Cool Mums podcast with comedian Steve Byrne.
He has also released a book titled The Dogfather: My Love for Dogs, Dessert and Growing Up Italian and a picture book for kids titled Where’s Bearry?.
Metro has contacted Gatto’s reps for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
