Do the Impractical Jokers Write Their Own Jokes? Behind the Scenes

As someone who’s been around the comedy block a few times, one question I often hear is about Impractical Jokers. The reality TV show leaves viewers wondering what’s real and what’s planned. The truth about who creates the show’s hilarious moments involves a blend of genuine friendship, improvisation skills, and strategic behind-the-scenes planning. Here’s a look at how the Jokers develop their comedy and who contributes to those unforgettable pranks and punishments.

The Tenderloins Origin: Building the Foundation

Long before becoming TV sensations, Sal Vulcano, Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray, and Joe Gatto formed their comedy troupe “The Tenderloins” in 1999. This wasn’t a group assembled by producers, these four high school friends spent years improving their improv and sketch comedy skills together 1. You just can’t fake that kind of history.

Their extensive background performing live comedy created several crucial elements that would define the show:

• Natural chemistry and timing between performers

• The ability to think quickly in uncomfortable situations

• A deep understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses

• A repertoire of inside jokes and shared experiences

This foundation explains why their on-screen interactions feel so authentic, because they are friends who spent over a decade performing together before the cameras started rolling 2.

The Real-Time Comedy: 60-70% Improvisation

While many reality shows may script every interaction, Impractical Jokers operates differently. Approximately 60-70% of what happens during public interactions is genuinely improvised 3.

The basic framework works like this:

1. The Jokers receive general instructions through earpieces.

2. They must follow these basic directives to win the challenge.

3. The actual conversations, reactions, and specific jokes are created in the moment.

4. Fellow Jokers can suggest lines or actions through the earpiece.

This approach creates genuine moments that couldn’t be scripted. When Q breaks into uncontrollable laughter mid-challenge or Sal runs away from an uncomfortable situation, these are authentic reactions, not rehearsed performances 2.

A Mix of Planning and Panic

The Creative Process in the Control Room

During typical challenges, the lines and directions given to the performing Joker through their earpiece are conceived primarily by the other three Jokers in the control room. However, producers and staff writers, including Casey Jost, are also present and contribute suggestions in real-time. The creative process is collaborative, with writers and production staff contributing alongside the Jokers themselves, particularly when extra creative input is needed to improve segments.

The Writing Process: Crafting Challenges and Games

While the in-the-moment interactions are largely improvised, the framework around them requires significant planning.

The challenge creation process typically follows these steps:

1. Brainstorming sessions where the four Jokers generate initial concepts.

2. Collaborative refinement with producers to determine logistics and viability.

3. Challenge rule development to create a fair competition.

4. Location scouting and permissions to ensure practical execution.

This explains why even though they don’t script specific jokes, the Jokers are credited as writers and creators on the show 4. They develop the concepts where their improvisation occurs.

James Murray’s background in television development particularly contributed to the show’s structure. Before Impractical Jokers, Murr worked in TV production and even published fiction, bringing professional development skills to the team.

How Creative Control Has Changed

In the early seasons, the four Jokers maintained direct, heavy creative involvement in concept development, scripting, and improvisation. However, as the show’s popularity and budget expanded, requiring more ambitious and complex formats, a larger team of production staff and dedicated writers assumed greater creative responsibilities, focusing on scripting, structure, and logistical planning.

This evolution reflects a common path for successful unscripted or semi-scripted comedy series, where the creators’ initial hands-on control transitions to a more professional, collaborative production in response to scale and network expectations.

Punishment Development: Months of Scheming

The show’s punishments are the most extensively planned segments, often taking months to organize. These elaborate setups target specific Jokers’ fears and weaknesses, requiring significant behind-the-scenes coordination 5.

Case Study: Murr’s Skydiving Punishment

The development of Murr’s skydiving punishment shows the collaborative creative process:

Concept: The idea was based on Murr’s well-known phobia of heights. The group’s process for choosing punishments often targets an individual’s specific fears.

Execution: Producers and Jokers told Murr they were filming an unrelated challenge, only revealing the true punishment upon arrival at Skydive Long Island. Classic misdirection.

Coordination: All Jokers and production staff managed logistics including:

• Permits and safety measures

• Instructor coordination

• Equipment checks

• Maintaining live commentary during filming

Other examples of the intricate planning for punishments include:

• Sal’s business conference standup: Required booking a venue, creating a fake tech conference, gathering an audience, and developing a deliberately terrible routine.

• Murr’s fake wedding to Sal’s sister: Involved months of secret arrangements, family coordination, and venue booking 5.

• Q’s painting destruction: Required commissioning original artwork and coordinating with a gallery.

While the punishment’s framework is planned extensively, the humiliated Joker’s reactions remain genuinely spontaneous. This balance creates the show’s unique appeal, carefully crafted scenarios made to generate authentic emotional responses.

Rejected Ideas and Why They Got the Axe

The Jokers have pitched numerous challenge and punishment ideas that were rejected by the production team or network. Rejected concepts consistently fall into specific categories with clear reasoning:

The specific reasons for rejection consistently involve safety, legal liability, ethical standards, and compliance with television broadcast guidelines.

Professional Writers’ Contributions

While the core Jokers generate much of the show’s content, professional writers and producers do contribute specific elements [4]:

• James Easter Bradford and Erin Hurm: Staff writers who assist with structured segments and special episodes.

• Casey Jost: Senior producer who contributes to scripted segments, especially in spinoffs like “Dinner Party.”

• Production staff: Writers who help develop seasonal themes and special event episodes.

External writers primarily contribute to:

1. Spinoff shows requiring more structured content

2. Special themed episodes outside the regular format

3. Complex punishments needing extensive coordination

4. Tournament-style competitions with specific frameworks

The core street challenges and public interactions remain largely the domain of the Jokers themselves 4.

Character Enhancement vs. Authentic Personalities

One fascinating aspect of the show is how the Jokers amplify their natural personality traits rather than creating entirely fictional personas. It’s them, but turned up to eleven.

• Quinn’s bold, sometimes reckless persona exaggerates his actual willingness to take risks.

• Sal’s germophobia and anxiety are real traits intensified for comedic effect.

• Murr’s awkwardness in social situations builds on his genuine personality quirks.

• Joe’s comfort with physical comedy stemmed from his natural extroversion.

During the pandemic, the Jokers admitted they began “building characters” more deliberately in isolated scenes when public interactions weren’t possible 3. This represents a shift toward more structured content while maintaining their authentic friendship.

Production Control: Jokers at the Helm

A crucial factor in maintaining the show’s authenticity is the Jokers’ role as executive producers, not just performers. This provides them significant control over:

• Final editing decisions

• Challenge approval and development

• Cast additions and guest appearances

• Overall creative direction

Their hands-on involvement extends far beyond performing, allowing them to preserve their comedic vision through production 4. This distinguishes Impractical Jokers from more heavily producer-controlled reality shows.

The Reality Behind the Laughter

Impractical Jokers creates its unique comedy through a collaborative process that blends the Jokers’ genuine friendship and improv skills with professional production support. They don’t write every joke word-for-word, but they create the foundation where organic comedy can flourish.

The show’s success comes from this balance, enough structure to create compelling television, but enough spontaneity to capture real moments. The result is comedy that feels real because, for the most part, it is.

Some audiences also wonder if the Jokers tell their “victims” about the prank afterward. The answer is yes, after completing a bit, the production team gets releases from those filmed, and the nature of the prank is explained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Joe Gatto still talk to the other Impractical Jokers?

Yes, despite Joe Gatto leaving the show in December 2021 to focus on family, he has maintained his friendship with the other Jokers. They have been seen together at various events and have spoken positively about their continued personal relationship, though he no longer appears on the show. As of 2025, their bond remains strong.

How do they talk to each other in Impractical Jokers?

The Jokers communicate during challenges through hidden earpieces. The Jokers not participating watch from a nearby location and provide instructions and commentary to the active Joker. This allows them to guide the interaction while the performing Joker improvises.

Who gets the worst punishment in Impractical Jokers?

Many fans consider Murr to have endured the most severe punishments, including having his eyebrows shaved, skydiving, and getting pierced multiple times. However, Sal has also faced tough punishments targeting his fears of cats and germs. The punishments are designed to target each Joker’s specific phobias.

Are Sal and Q friends?

Yes, Sal Vulcano and Brian “Q” Quinn have been close friends since high school, long before Impractical Jokers existed. Their friendship spans over 30 years and continues on and off screen. They frequently appear in each other’s social media posts and have collaborated on projects beyond the show, including their podcast “What Say You?”.

References

1. The Phoenix Remix. (2018). Improv Corner: Why You Should Be Watching Impractical Jokers. https://thephoenixremix.com/2018/09/10/improv-corner-why-you-should-be-watching-impractical-jokers/

2. Wikipedia. (n.d.). Impractical Jokers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impractical_Jokers

3. Screen Rant. (n.d.). Impractical Jokers: Fakest Things About The Show, According To Cast And Crew. https://screenrant.com/impractical-jokers-fakest-things-about-the-show-according-to-cast-and-crew/

4. IMDb. (n.d.). Impractical Jokers (2011– ) Full Cast & Crew. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2100976/fullcredits/

5. Den of Geek. (n.d.). Talking Impractical Jokers and The Tenderloins with James ‘Murr’ Murray. https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/talking-impractical-jokers-and-the-tenderloins-with-james-murr-murray/