Joe Gatto and Bessy Gatto. Shutterstock
Still a fan! Joe Gatto‘s estranged wife, Bessy Gatto, cheered for the Impractical Jokers alum as he performed on his stand-up comedy tour.
Bessy, 39, shared a sweet Instagram video on Monday, February 14, writing, “That one time Remo did not want to get off the stage.” In the footage, Joe, 45, held the pair’s children — daughter Milana, 6, and son Remington, 4 — by their hands and led them in front of the crowd. The little ones waved to the audience after their father kissed them each on the head.
The family outing comes nearly two months after the couple announced in December 2021 that they called it quits after eight years of marriage.
“Sorry in advance for the long and more-serious-than-usual note below, I just wanted to let you all know that I will no longer be involved with Impractical Jokers,” the New York native wrote via Instagram at the time. “Alongside my friends, I’ve devoted a decade of my life to building this franchise and couldn’t be prouder of what has been accomplished. However, due to some issues in my personal life, I have to step away. Bessy and I have decided to amicably part ways, so now I need to focus on being the best father and coparent to our two incredible kids.”
Joe went on to thank his fellow Impractical Jokers stars — James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn and Sal Vulcano — for their support as he turned his focus toward the “challenges” in his personal life.
“Outside of my family, my relationships with Murr, Q and Sal have been the most important in my life. I know they will continue to make the world laugh,” he continued. “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.”
The TruTV personality concluded: “They say that laughter is the best medicine, and I hope I’ve been able to provide some of that over the last decade. Seeing you laugh has been my own medicine, particularly in these weird and difficult times we find ourselves.”
Joe had starred on the hidden camera show since it began in 2011 before announcing his departure. Earlier this year, Quinn, 45, confessed that he was “f–king shocked” when he learned about Joe and Bessy’s split.
“It is what it is. … Initially, we didn’t even know — ‘Is this even worth doing without Joe?’” the comedian said on the “Tell Em Steve-Dave” podcast in January when discussing the future of Impractical Jokers. “But you just look at it and yeah, [it is]. I don’t want to not do it. If I left the show, I wouldn’t want the guys to stop just because I left. There are so many negatives to Joe not being there. We’re losing a comedic powerhouse.”
Joe, for his part, has been attempting to keep a positive outlook about his love life on tour. “He was very upbeat. He never stopped smiling,” an eyewitness exclusively told Us Weekly after a January stand-up set in Iowa, noting that Joe “didn’t seem nervous at all.”
According to the source, Joe “didn’t really get into his personal life” on stage, apart from when he was asked by a fan, “How’s life going?”
The insider added, “He was like, ‘Pretty f–king fantastic.’ … He made a couple jokes about it, and he moved on to the next. He never stayed on one topic for too long.”
