Friday night in Athens marked the beginning of Dads Weekend at Ohio University, and one beloved father in particular trickled in among the others. Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium was filled to the brim, from the front row to the balcony, in anticipation of the legendary comedian and actor Joe Gatto.
Currently on his “Let’s Get Into It” tour, Gatto first found fame as a founding member of “Impractical Jokers,” a hidden-camera show he starred in alongside his best friends James Murray, Sal Vulcano and Brian Quinn. Famous for its outrageous pranks and scenarios that kept audiences laughing at the Jokers’ expense, “Impractical Jokers” launched in 2011 and is still releasing episodes, although Gatto left in the middle of season 9.
Tess Woodyard, a 2022 OU graduate, has been looking forward to the show for a while.
“I’m a big fan, and I’m here with my friends,” she said. “We all grew up watching him, so we’re excited to see him.”
Tickets for the sold-out show ranged from $35-$55, with the performance starting at 8:00 p.m. The night kicked off with a roughly 20-minute set by opener Mark Jigarjian, who guest-starred on seasons 9 and 10 of “Impractical Jokers.” Jigarjian quickly warmed up the crowd, sharing stories of his experiences in Ohio cities, including a memorable anecdote about Columbus that prompted roars from the audience.
Clad in an Ohio T-shirt, Gatto took the stage at 8:20 p.m., seamlessly picking up a crowd work bit started by Jigarjian. From there, the theater remained alive and buzzing with nonstop laughter brought forth by Gatto’s quick wit and charm.
With it being Dads Weekend, the crowd mostly consisted of students accompanied by their fathers and other family members. Many attendees wore humorous T-shirts, which Gatto was quick to point out during his set.
He also took several opportunities to poke fun at OU’s rival, Miami University, eliciting cheers from the crowd. Amid this college-focused section of the show, Gatto took the time to share some light-hearted advice tailored to the students in attendance.
Faith Norris, a Chillicothe resident and OU alumna, said she enjoyed many parts of the show, but Gatto’s words of wisdom were her favorite.
“(I liked) the advice he gave college kids about life,” she said.
As the performance progressed, Gatto began sharing stories that all blended in and related to one another, with him even making various callbacks to earlier parts of the show.
Gatto is often described as a “family man,” so naturally he incorporated many jokes that touched on family life and comedic moments shared with his two young children. One of those jokes involved the Australian animated television series “Bluey,” prompting Gatto to dance across the stage to its theme song on multiple occasions.
Another standout moment occurred when an audience member called out “Larry” from the crowd, referencing one of Gatto’s well-known recurring bits on “Impractical Jokers,” where he frequently pretended to search for a friend named Larry, shouting his name repeatedly in public.
Gatto quickly retorted with a deadpan, “Nah, he’s not here,” evoking an eruption of laughter from the audience.
The show wrapped up with Gatto reading a direct message conversation he had with a fan, in which he humorously recounted the exchange. After that, he thanked the crowd and walked back and forth across the stage, taking bows and blowing kisses to the audience.
Chloe Hull, a sophomore studying aviation flight, was familiar with Gatto from “Impractical Jokers” and said seeing him live was much different than watching him on TV.
“He was being told what to do (then),” she said. “And this show is just a free-for-all.”
The laughter and noise lingered as the attendees filed out of the theater, ensuring that Gatto’s performance would leave Athens remembering the night long after the final bow.
