'Impractical Jokers' Episodes Pulled From TV and HBO Max
A handful of Impractical Jokers episodes have reportedly been removed from TruTV's website and HBO Max. The changes came following original cast member Joe Gatto's decision to leave the show to focus on his family at the start of the new year. Gatto is a co-founder of The Tenderloins, alongside his fellow Impractical Jokers co-stars Brian Quinn, James Murray, and Sal Vulcano.
Back on Jan. 6, Paste Magazine reported that TruTV already removed Gatto's name and "several episodes" with Gatto in "compromising situations" were pulled from TruTV's site and HBO Max. The clips were also taken off TruTV's YouTube channel. One episode removed was "Ball Shiatsu," which had Gatto hiding in a massage chair. "The Dream Crusher" featured a challenge for the stars, who were asked to kiss strangers in a mall food court. TruTV, which has aired the show since it launched in December 2011, has not commented on the removal of the episodes.
On New Year's Eve, Gatto announced plans to leave Impractical Jokers after he and his wife Bessy Gatto split. The two have been married since 2013 and are parents to daughter Milana, 6, and son Remo, 4. "Outside of my family, my relationships with Murr, Q, and Sal have been the most important in my life," Gatto wrote at the time. "I know they will continue to make the world laugh. And even though the four of us are the ones who you all see, this show is only possible due to the hard work of the talented crew members who work behind the scenes. I am very thankful to have worked with each and every one of them." Gatto is planning a standup tour, which is scheduled to start on Jan. 21 in Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, Quinn said Impractical Jokers will continue, but with major changes. Gatto's decision to leave came as a complete surprise, he revealed on the Tell 'em Steve-Dave! podcast. Once he and the other Impractical Jokers came to the realization that this was the new normal for the show, they allowed themselves to have fun.
"There was always things that we wanted to do but we couldn't do because it just didn't fit onto Impractical Jokers and the format," Quinn said, reports ComicBook.com. "Now I'm just like, 'F— it, let's start breaking format here and there.'..... I wouldn't do it if I didn't think people were going to like it, but I think people are going to be really surprised at what we end up doing. It's going to be great. I'm more invested and more involved and having more fun than I've had in a long time."