featured-image

Impractical Jokers survey the Nets on their way to NYCB LIVE

What were Impractical Jokers Brian Quinn and Joe Gatto doing at Barclays Center on Tuesday night?

Well, they watched a little bit of basketball, with Gatto representing in a Spencer Dinwiddie jersey that somebody pulled over his shoulders the minute he walked in the building. They played along with Team Hype, taking on the awesome responsibility of directing the t-shirt cannon and tentatively – very tentatively – inserting themselves into a few of the tumbling routines.

They got some cred from the home team, with Quincy Acy, Jahlil Okafor and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson angling over for a greeting on their way back to the court after halftime.

Oh, and Joe Gatto flexed alongside Ally Love, as he tends to do.

“This is great,” said Gatto. “Every time I come to the Barclays, every time, it’s been a home run. And this is my first time at the Barclays.”

Q offered up a gentle correction.

“Besides that one time they kicked me out,” Gatto conceded. “So this is officially my only time I’ve been to the Barclays. As Joe Gatto. Joseph Gatto has been here a couple times.”

Apparently, there are no grudges or hard feelings, since Quinn and Gatto and their Impractical Jokers teammates, James Murray and Sal Vulcano, will be taking over Barclays Center’s sister venue, NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on New Year’s Eve for the latest stop on the “Santiago Sent Us” tour.

“We’re playing N, C, whatever she likes us to say …,” said Quinn.

“NYCB LIVE, formerly known as the artist known as Nassau Coliseum,” said Gatto. “Hashtag Nassau Coliseum, you can say that.”

They’ve figured out where they’ll be. What will they be doing?

“It’s our version of standup comedy,” said Gatto. “It’s a whole array of comedy. It starts with just us telling some stories.”

While they’ve built a national following putting each other in the most embarrassing situations possible on television, the four high school buddies from Staten Island got their start doing improv and then sketch comedy as The Tenderloins. They’re calling on those talents for their stage show, which is in its third incarnation since they started putting it on in comedy clubs five years ago.

“We can’t do hidden camera,” said Quinn. “We take the spirit of the show, which is hanging with us, and we put it on stage.”

“That’s good,” said Gatto. “That’s nice. You should do that in every interview.”

Nets fans can catch the Impractical Jokers at NYCB LIVE on New Year’s Eve with a special Me + 3 offer by using the code BKNETSFAN. Save up to 25% when you buy four tickets (excluding fees) with code BKNETSFAN. Additional fees may apply.