UU’s Exclusive Interview with Impractical Jokers Star Joe Gatto

Article By Alexa LaMalfa, University Union Performing Arts Board Production Coordinator | Photo By Kennedy Smith

As the lights came down in Syracuse’s Goldstein Auditorium on March 4th, author, non-profit founder, comedian, and Impractical Jokers star Joe Gatto took the stage. The University Union show sold out in 5 days with nearly 1,500 attendees. Alongside his various achievements, making Syracuse University's students laugh is the newest addition to the list of career highlights.

“This was my best college show hands down,” Gatto said after sitting down to speak with The Universe at his Goldstein show.

Photo By Troy Conner

Although Gatto is no longer a part of his famous unscripted comedy TV show Impractical Jokers, he speaks highly of his experience with it. “There’s so much good,” Gatto said. “It was great… I always had a great time doing it.”

If Gatto hadn’t met “Q”, Sal, and “Murr,” he would still be in the entertainment business, with his biggest goal being to work as a director. He says, “I’ve always loved movie directing and I’ve always wanted to be a director. That’s why I got into it… and then Jokers kind of just happened. Comedy was always just a side hustle fun thing. It was never for money”.

Gatto jokingly called comedy his “five-to-nine” because he was an accountant and consultant during his real nine-to-five. After doing that for five years, Gatto moved to LA to chase the dream and ended up working in sales, which landed him a job as a high end baby store salesman. The company’s name was Giggle, which would foreshadow Gatto’s next step in his career.

Photos By TJ Tracy and Will Delgado

Gatto was the first of the jokers to have to quit his job. At the time, Sal was a bartender, “Q” was a fireman for the FDNY, and “Murr” worked for the production company that made the show. The fan reaction was what made the switch worth it to him in the end. “The fanbase is unbelievable. For me it’s always the fact that you’re able to really talk to people and see how you really affect their lives,” said Gatto.

He’s even seen how fans have used Impractical Jokers to get them through some of their toughest times. According to Gatto, the places where the “Impractical Jokers” are the most popular are hospitals and jails because truTV is playing all the time. Around five months ago when Gatto was in LA, his rental car broke down and the employee immediately recognized him. The employee was just released from jail and told Gatto that his show had gotten him through it.

Gatto was even one of my hometown heroes growing up since we’re both from Staten Island. The Impractical Jokers were our success story. I wanted to tell Joe how much he and the rest of the Jokers have an impact on not only our community, but fans around the world.

Photo By Kennedy Smith

Gatto has been bringing that impact all over the country with his tour “Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy,” which has been making audiences laugh for almost two years now. He even had his own comedy special that was filmed on March 8th at The Paramount Theater in Huntington, New York.  

If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Gatto perform, don’t worry! Although the special is not yet picked up by any network, Gatto assures that regardless he’ll share it to them through any means possible.