MONSTROUS PRANKS
THE FOUR goofy guys on TruTV’s “Impractical Jokers” that leave fans cracking up are exactly like...the Kardashians? At least according to them. “We’re not a cast, we’re a family,” prankster Joe Gatto tells the Daily News. “Imagine the Kardashians did a prank show. That’s what we are. We are the Kardashians of prank shows.”
Hear him out: Just like the famous family’s show, the slapstick comedy that witnesses the pals pulling pranks on an unsuspecting public relies on the chemistry and tight-knit nature of its leads — Gatto, James Murray, Sal Vulcano and Brian Quinn, Staten Island natives who have been embarrassing each other since high school.
Like Kim and co., “You cannot discount how good looking we are. Our sex appeal really resonates with people,” Murray laughs.
The breakout comedy is wrapping up its sixth season. For each challenge on the show, one Joker is at the mercy of the others, and must do and say whatever the rest tell him to while engaging with unsuspecting bystanders — all to get a laugh from viewers.
New York City has long been an unspoken fifth member of the group, as the guys film their stunts on-location in the Tri-State area, at places like Tompkins Square Park, the Staten Island ferry and various small businesses.
The show’s magic relies on the hope that the Jokers will be able to pass themselves off as everyday people as they interact with strangers, a task that’s become harder as the series gains popularity and the group’s mugs become more recognizable.
“If fans do recognize us, we shoo ’em away,” Gatto says. “That’s why New York City’s the biggest ally. That’s why we love filming in New York, because there’s 8 million people. Even if half the people recognize us, there’s still 4 million people that don’t.”
Gatto, Murray, Vulcano and Quinn — known collectively as the comedy troupe The Tenderloins — bring their signature schtick to Madison Square Garden Nov. 9 as part of the New York Comedy Festival, while the show’s season finale airs Nov. 2.