This article mentions sexual assault.
A TikToker has accused Joe Gatto, one of the Impractical Jokers, of sexual assault. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
TikTok user Jooz (@joozyb) shared the allegations in a series of TikToks, which collectively have amassed 59.9 million views. In one TikTok, the user shared a video of her walking with the following on-screen text: “Little did she know that night, after ‘meeting’ her first celebrity, he would change how she views ALL famous people for the rest of her life.”
She then claimed in a subsequent video that the celebrity in question was Joe Gatto, sharing purported screenshots of a text exchange about his Milwaukee show after she seemingly took a photo with him. In another follow-up, she shared a picture of her bruised buttocks with the caption reading: “Yes he did SA me. yes, he had JUST gotten back together with his wife. I’m sorry you guys don’t want to hear it but.”
A TikToker shares her story
Then, in a 10-minute video, she goes into detail about what exactly allegedly happened. She claims it all started when she approached Gatto in a restaurant and asked for a photo. Later that day, she says she contacted him on Instagram. As a result of this exchange, she claims that he gifted her two tickets for his Milwaukee show along with two meet-and-greet tickets.
Jooz says she attended the show, got a photo with him, and went home. However, she says they continued to converse on Instagram, with him turning on “disappearing messages.”
“I was drunk, whatever, and he was texting me all this stuff,” she said. “And, like, it was starting to get a little weird.”
She says he gave her instructions on how to get to his hotel and claims that, once she arrived, someone escorted her to the elevator and went in the elevator with her. From there, Jooz says “some stuff happened” with Gatto in the hotel room, but doesn’t go into any further details.
She then showed a purported image from the hotel, with the time stamp being hours after Gatto’s Milwaukee show.
“I’ve been wanting to tell people this for so long,” she concludes. “I’ve like, tried in different ways, but it’s hard with somebody this big.”
Jooz didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
Some commenters were unsupportive
While some commenters were supportive of Jooz, others questioned her allegations.
“It’s giving I was drunk and now I regret it so I’m gonna get my 15 min of fame,” one claimed.
“Girl.. YOU went to his hotel at 2:00 am?” a second asked. “What did you think u were gonna do, watch Impractical Jokers?”
Other commenters criticized these comments, with one writing, “Believe the victim ’till its Joe Gatto apparently.”
In a further follow-up, Jooz expressed her frustration at the video’s reception.
“I got sexually assaulted by Joe Gatto, the Impractical Joker,” she said. “I’m sorry if you don’t want to believe it.”
@joozyb I just want people to listen- play in x2 or skip to half way #awareness #sa #celebrity #impracticaljokers #joegatto ♬ original sound – jooz
A further allegation
Now, a former employee of Gatto has also accused him of sexual misconduct. In an interview with People, she says she met the comedian when she was 15 and that when she turned 18, he became more flirtatious.
She says she was employed by Gatto to work at Impractical Jokers right after college. When she first started, she claims that a fellow employee warned her about Gatto’s tendency to be “flirty and handsy” and tell inappropriate jokes. She claims the employee advised her to shut down any inappropriate behavior immediately.
However, the employee told the outlet that inappropriate behavior on his part didn’t stop. She claims she was groped multiple times, that he would ask for back massages, and ask her intrusive questions about her sex life.
She also says that on one occasion, Gatto invited her to his room, asking her for a cuddle. On another, during a work trip, she says Gatto grabbed her thigh in the elevator and said he “knew” he would be making her uncomfortable during this work trip. Other accusations include encouraging employees to come to his room and drink and joking about bringing girls through the freight elevator in the office.
The employee also says she felt pressured to flirt back because, if she didn’t he was angry with her the next day.
Joe Gatto responds
In a statement to Page Six published on Mar. 22, Gatto responded to the first allegation. “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” the statement read.
“But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone. 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,” it continued.
When the Daily Dot reached out to Gatto about the accusations, a representative directed us to his earlier statement.
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