Former Impractical Jokers star Joe Gatto has responded to allegations made by a TikTok user, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 19. Gatto, 48, firmly denied the claims but admitted to making “poor judgment” in his actions.
“I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” Gatto told Page Six in an exclusive statement on Saturday. He added, “But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone.”
Gatto further explained that he plans to take some time away from the public eye, stating, “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.”
The allegations first surfaced on TikTok when the woman, known by the username joozyb, posted a video on Thursday, claiming Gatto sexually assaulted her during a meeting after his comedy show in Milwaukee in September 2023. She did not provide specific details of the alleged incident but described it as “some stuff happened.”
The woman further alleged that their interaction began earlier in the day at brunch, where they met at a restaurant, and continued with text exchanges on Instagram, leading to the alleged incident later that evening. Screenshots of their messages were shared by the woman as evidence, showing Gatto offering her two meet-and-greet passes and complimenting her appearance. She also claimed that he switched their direct messages to vanish mode before providing her with the details of his hotel.
The woman admitted that she had been drinking during their conversation, describing the situation as “weird” but said it became more concerning as the messages escalated.
In her second video, she expressed how difficult it was to speak out about someone as well-known as Gatto, stating, “I’ve been wanting to tell people this for so long. I’ve like, tried in different ways, but it’s hard with somebody this big.”
Gatto, who recently parted ways with Impractical Jokers over personal reasons, has no
