Former 'Impractical Joker' Joe Gatto cancels tour, checks into rehab after sexual assault allegations

Glen Head comedian and former "Impractical Jokers" star Joe Gatto has checked himself into an undisclosed rehabilitation facility following sexual assault and harassment allegations by two women.

"Having taken some time to reflect, l've decided to voluntarily enter an inpatient program to continue working on myself," Gatto, 48, formerly of Lynbrook, said in a statement to Newsday. "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."

Gatto has canceled his tour, which according to Ticketmaster was set to run 18 U.S. shows and four in the U.K. from March 29 through Nov. 14. On March 8, he recorded a comedy special at The Paramount in Huntington. 

The first accuser had posted four videos on TikTok on March 21, one of them more than 10 minutes long, describing instances of alleged sexual assault when she was 19.

Gatto in a statement the next day 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."

A day after this response, a second woman anonymously told People magazine that she had worked for Gatto, who was then still with the TV prank show "Impractical Jokers," after she graduated college. She said she had been cautioned of his flirtatiousness and unwanted touching, but found herself subjected as well to inappropriate jokes and social media messages, requests for back massages and inquiries into her sex life.

Gatto did not respond to the second woman’s allegations and has not posted on social media since March 17.

The Staten Island native, whose comedy troupe The Tenderloins with James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn and Sal Vulcano spawned the long-running "Impractical Jokers" series and spinoff movie, left the show in December 2021 "due to some issues in my personal life," he announced on social media.

In that same post he added of his wife, with whom he has daughter Milana, 9, and son Remo, 7, "Bessy and I have decided to amicably part ways, so now I need to focus on being the best father and co-parent to our two incredible kids."

In a September 2023 Instagram post with a photo of the two standing together amiably on a beach, Gatto announced that the couple, who married in 2013, had reconciled.

He wrote in part, "I’m happy and hopeful that we will be able to get a few more [years] in because we have proven with compassion, forgiveness and an open heart we can do this. Together. Looking forward to more of it all, including laughing together, memory making with our incredible family ... ."