What happened to Joe from Impractical Jokers? Why he left, and why he says he's never coming back
If you tuned into Impractical Jokers and found only three Jokers instead of four, you're a few years behind — Joe Gatto walked away from the show at the end of 2021, mid-season 9, after a decade and roughly 300 episodes. Here's the full story, as of mid-2026.
Why he left
On December 31, 2021, Gatto posted a lengthy announcement: he and his wife Bessy were separating, and he was stepping away from the show — and from the Tenderloins comedy troupe he'd built with Sal Vulcano, James Murray, and Brian Quinn since high school — to focus on his two kids.
"Bessy and I have decided to amicably part ways."
The twist: it worked out. In September 2023, Gatto announced that he and Bessy had reconciled. The show, meanwhile, carried on without him — TBS kept Impractical Jokers going with the remaining three.
Why he says he's never coming back
Gatto has been unusually blunt about this. In a January 2025 interview with TheWrap, he said flatly:
"I am not going to guest on my own show."
He explained that he's moved on, the show has moved on, and the guys are still his best friends — just not his coworkers. He's even admitted he has never actually watched the show as a viewer. The one exception he's floated: if Impractical Jokers ever films a true final episode, he'd love to help close it out.
What he's been doing instead
- Stand-up — a full solo career, including a 63-date tour and his 2024 special Messing With People.
- Podcasting — co-hosting the weekly Two Cool Moms podcast with comedian Steve Byrne since 2022.
- Books — including a 2024 children's picture book, Where's Bearry?
The 2025 controversy
In March 2025, a woman posted allegations on TikTok that Gatto had sexually assaulted her. Gatto denied the assault claim while admitting to "poor judgment" in his personal life. He canceled the rest of his tour, entered an in-patient treatment facility, completed the program in May 2025, and returned to social media that August after five months offline.
So: he left for his family, stayed gone by choice, and rebuilt a solo career — with one very rough chapter along the way.