The hit comedy-reality show Impractical Jokers has been on the air for over a decade, being renewed for its tenth season in early 2023.
Fans fell in love with the show’s leading ensemble from the very beginning. Joe Gatto, James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, and Sal Vulcano have an unbeatable dynamic going back to high school. Their childish quest to challenge each other to outrageous dares in public turned into a hit TV show and now a film, which came out in 2020.
However, following the success of their movie and the continuing success of their television series, one of the Jokers decided to step away from the iconic team. In late 2021, Joe Gatto announced that he would not be returning to the show.
His departure came on the tail of an “amicable” divorce from his wife of eight years and as he said, trials in his personal life. Gatto took to Instagram to express gratitude for Sal, Murr, and Q and the long-time fans of the show. he stated that he wanted time to focus on his family and his children while they went through a difficult transition.
Since then, Gatto has found other ways to bring humor to the world as a solo act. He began performing stand-up comedy less than a month after his departure from the show, and even has his own charity called Gatto Pups and Friends which is a nonprofit rescue for senior and disabled dogs.
Just two months after he left the show, Gatto also began a comedy podcast called Two Cool Moms with comedian Steve Byrne where they give advice to their listeners. Gatto has made several appearances on other popular podcasts and has even taken his comedy on the road across the country on several occasions.
Despite his successful solo career, many people are still wondering if he’ll ever make a return to Impractical Jokers. Men’s Journal reports that Gatto says “never say never” about the possibility of making a return. He shared on Scheana Shay’s podcast Scheananigans that he may be interested in making a live appearance with the remaining jokers, saying that he misses working with his friends. Unfortunately for many fans, a return to TV doesn’t seem to be in the cards any time soon.
Despite his words, fan remain hopeful, and it doesn’t seem like there is any bad blood between the cast members, so a return is more likely than many once thought. Don’t worry, One Direction fans, this is a reunion that may not just live in delusion.