Following the news that Joe Gatto allegedly sexually assaulted a 19-year-old female fan, one of the Impractical Jokers alum’s former employees has come forward and accused him of misconduct.
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Over the weekend, Gatto’s former employee claimed that the comedian exhibited unwanted behavior that she described as sexual harassment. She told PEOPLE that she met Gatto at one of his live shows when she was 15 and said his behavior towards her shifted as soon as she turned 18. He became very flirtatious. She took on the job after graduating from college.
However, another employee warned her that they perceived Joe Gatto as “flirty and handsy.” They also said that Gatto often told inappropriate jokes and advised her to shut down immediately if he became “creepy.”
The former female employee then revealed she quickly learned why the warning was necessary. She said that while working with the comedian, he would inappropriately grab her. He would also ask her for back massages.
She then said that Joe Gatto once invited her to his room, asking her to cuddle. She further alleged that he would frequently inquire about her love life.
To excuse his behavior, Gatto would allegedly brag about being in an open relationship with his wife, Bessy. However, the former employee believes those claims were false. He would then privately respond to the former employee’s social media posts, telling her she’s “hot” and acting possessive. He would also get jealous when she would post snapshots of her boyfriend.
After she rejected his advances, the former employee said that Joe Gatto would act rudely toward her. She then recalled an incident when he grabbed her upper thigh while they were in a hotel elevator during a work trip.
However, she claimed Gatto didn’t sexually assault her.
Joe Gatto Issued a Statement Following the First Accusation Against Him
In a statement to Page Six, Joe Gatto spoke out about the allegations.
“I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” he explained. “But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone.”
“Working on myself is an ongoing process,” he continued. “And I am now going to take some time away from the public eye to focus my energies where I need to.”
The first accuser claimed that Gatto sexually assaulted her. She recalled meeting Gatto during his performance in Milwaukee in September 2023. She had spotted him while out at a brunch spot with her mother and sister. He gave her two free tickets and a meet-and-greet pass for his Sept. 8, 2023, show at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee.
While at the show alone, she took pictures of him. The then-intoxicated fan later exchanged direct messages with Gatto through her Instagram account. She claimed that Gatto switched their Instagram conversation to “vanish mode.” He allegedly asked her to come to his hotel. While there, she said, “some stuff happened.”
“I’ve been wanting to tell people this for so long,” she revealed. “I’ve like, tried in different ways. It’s hard with somebody this big, [I] come to the realization that if I do say something, that I’m really saying something.”