Joe Gatto canceled his upcoming tour dates and entered a treatment facility after being accused of sexual misconduct.
“Having taken some time to reflect, l’ve decided to voluntarily enter an inpatient program to continue working on myself,” the “Impractical Jokers” star told Page Six in a statement Wednesday.
“I just want to thank my friends, fans and especially my family for all of their support – never more so than over the last few days.”
The decision came less than one week after a TikTok user claimed the married comedian, 48, sexually assaulted her when she was just 19 years old.
The woman, who goes by joozyb on TikTok, alleged that Gatto sexually assaulted her in a hotel after one of his shows in Milwaukee in September 2023 — right after he “got back together with his wife,” Bessy.
She did not go into detail about what allegedly occurred between the two. However, she claimed “some stuff happened” and posted photos of a large bruise on her backside.
She also shared screenshots of her DMs with Gatto in which he complimented her appearance and allegedly offered her “two meet and greet passes” for his show that night.
Although the father of two denied her accusations of assault, he admitted to making “poor” decisions by talking to then-teen.
“I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” the comedian told Page Six exclusively on Saturday. “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,” Gatto continued.
Just one day later, a second woman came forward with accusations of alleged inappropriate behavior.
The unidentified accuser, who previously worked for Gatto during his time on “Impractical Jokers,” claimed she met the comedian at a live show when she was 15 years old.
She alleged that his behavior toward her turned flirtatious once she turned 18.
While it’s unclear exactly what she did for the comedian, she told People Gatto hired her shortly after she graduated college.
Before starting the job, one of the TV personality’s former employees allegedly warned her about his behavior — such as inappropriate jokes, unwanted flirting and handsy interactions.
The warnings rang true and the young employee quickly found herself in an uncomfortable work environment, she told the outlet.
She claimed that Gatto occasionally grabbed her inappropriately, asked for back massages, inquired about her sex life and requested to cuddle.
He also allegedly got jealous when she posted pictures with her boyfriend and often made comments about how “hot” she was.
She told People that when she shot down Gatto’s advances, he would be “rude” to her the next day and she often feared she would lose her job.
In response to the claims, a rep for Gatto referred to his original statement.
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