Television Comedy Legend Claims He Has Never Watched His Own Classic Show
According to an exclusive write-up in People, revered comedian and television presenter Joe Gatto claims that he has never watched his hit television series Impractical Jokers. Despite the fact that the show has run more than 300 episodes over the course of 11 seasons and frequently airs in all-day blocks on multiple cable channels, Gatto says watching the final cut of episodes as they air would be too redundant, as he was heavily involved in the editing process.
Since leaving the series back in December of 2021, he has also neglected to watch new episodes, which are led by the remaining three hosts with a revolving door of guest jokers.
Joe Gatto And Impractical Jokers
Joe Gatto’s exit from Impractical Jokers nearly three years ago has sparked a flurry of debate and discussion online, with many fans expressing the ways in which the series has changed.
For those who are not in the know, Impractical Jokers is a hidden camera prank show which sees four lifelong friends from Staten Island, New York interacting with the general public while engaging in a series of embarrassing challenges and punishments.
Gatto served as one of the founding members of the series alongside his comedy group The Tenderloins, which includes James S. Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, and Sal Vulcano.
Joey Gatto Leaving Impractical Jokers
Since he left the series, Joe Gatto has been asked on multiple occasions about whether he continues to watch Impractical Jokers now that he is no longer part of the cast.
While Joe has explained in interviews that watching his friends have fun on the show without him would be too hard, the revelation that he never watched the show to begin with has caught some fans by surprise.
Still, it makes perfect sense that he wouldn’t enjoy seeing the final product airing with ad breaks since he likely had to sit through hundreds of hours of footage every week for over a decade during the editing process.
Labor Intensive Series
Impractical Jokers utilizes multiple hidden cameras and microphones in order to provide a comprehensive look at the reactions of the four hosts as well as the unsuspecting public.
This means that editing the program is incredibly labor intensive- Gatto has previously described his editing work as a 14-hour-per-day commitment.
Before Joe Gatto left the Impractical Jokers behind, he claims that his 5-year-old daughter once hugged him and said “I love when you come to visit,” exemplifying just how much time he was spending away from his family.
Had To Exit The Show
Gatto’s marriage also nearly fell apart during his final episodes with the production, which prompted him to depart the show for good, despite how much he enjoyed getting paid to laugh with his friends all day.
While he says his memories of shooting the series are quite fond, it makes perfect sense why Joe Gatto would not want to relive the experience of making Impractical Jokers by watching old episodes.
Impractical Jokers Is A Mega-Hit
Of course, Joe Gatto may one day change his mind when the memories of the arduous Impractical Jokers production process wash away, and all that remains are his years of embarrassing his friends on camera.
The series has gone down in history as a mega-hit, which will be engrained within comedy and culture for generations to come. Joe Gatto has also explained “I’m still best friends with those guys. Our friendship started way before the show, and we’ll continue way after the show. We’re just not friends from work anymore.”
Source: People
