Now, 30 years later, they’ve created an undeniable comedy empire.
What other comedy groups can say that?
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let’s kick things off at the very beginning of this group.
Credit: truTV
When did you guys first start embarrassing each other in public?
Sal Vulcano:We went to high school together so we met in 1990 and became friends.
We’ve been together 30 years now and we turned that camaraderie and friendship into comedy.
How did you get the idea to turn that friendship and dynamic into an actual show?
The world just basically jumped on board with that camaraderie.
How hasImpractical Jokerschanged in all the years from when you first debuted on truTV in 2011 to now?
James “Murr” Murray:At its core, it’s still exactly the same.
The show has become more family-friendly, and that happened organically.
Brian “Q” Quinn:Season 1 was more telling a person their breath doesn’t smell good.
Quinn:I gotta tell you, we didn’t plan for that!
The fans of our show deserve all the credit in the world.
We just put out what it seems the fans wanted to get.
We’ll do more of this!
It was more of a response to what people wanted.
Gatto:It was a natural thing for us because we had gotten our roots in performing live.
Murray:Things just happenedit wasn’t like, oh here are the seven things we want to accomplish.
It happened as a response to opportunityit’s good timing mixed with great fans.
What does a comedy cruise put on by you guys actually look like?
One time we took a cruise and filmed a whole special episode on this cruise.
Our fans dress like us, they have signs, they’re chanting.
Why not do a comedy cruise?
This February 2020, we’ll have our annual cruise.
That really is a testament to the fans for sure.
It’s unbelievable and surreal.
We live with them and perform for them and mingle with them.
Murray:The crazy thing about the cruise is that it’s become so international.
They’re flying across the world to spend a week with us which is mind-blowing to me.
We didn’t even know if our comedy would translate but it did.
You’ve also spun off into a second TV series withThe Misery Index(which debuted Oct. 22).
How is that different fromImpractical Jokers?
We’re still just being ourselves, we’re the same people we are onImpractical Jokers.
It’s a traditional game show with the four of us ripping on each other.
It’s more of what you already love about us.
Gatto:And the game is fun!
So we get caught up in the gameplay.
She was an instant fit and it changed up the dynamic which was great.
She commands the show and she steers the ship and she does such a great job.
What plans do you have the future of theImpractical Jokersempire?
Gatto:We’re thinking of opening our own countrythat’s the next big idea we’ve been having.
It’s going to be in the Caribbean.
Quinn:My plan is the same it’s always beento stumble around and luck into things.
That’s worked so far in our careers, I don’t see any reason to change that.
I’ll just walk outside my house and see where the day takes me.
Murray:Unlike Q I have every moment of every day planned out for the next 30 years.
I can send you that Powerpoint if you’d like.
That would be great!
Vulcano:We’re trying to do as much as we can and trying to have fun doing it.
That’s the main goal.
We take projects as they come so we’re always looking for more.
We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing as the Tenderloins and just grinding.
Murray:We’ve got a movie coming out early next year and we’re really proud of it.
It will be interesting to see how that affects the future for us too.
Maybe we’ll do more movies in the future.
It’s a great extension of the brand.
