6 Things Every Impractical Jokers Fan Should Know! (from SDCC 2017)
At San Diego Comic Con 2017, I had honor - nay, the pleasure - of not only attending the Impractical Jokers Block Party at Petco Park, but also participating in a press conference they held! Here's some (but by no means all) of the highlights.
1. Sal... Hates Cats
Ok, it doesn't take being much of an IJ fan to know that Sal has problems with cats, whether the time in Season 2 when Q took his cats to Sal's bed, or all those times when the man-sized black cat (Benjamin) chases Sal during his punishments.
The stuff of pure nightmares.
But why does he hate cats so much? Like most of us and our phobias, it's all about childhood trauma: He had a friend with a cat named Sebastian that attacked Sal every time he went over to his friend's house!
Technically, Sal's hatred only applies to adult cats. He says he likes "good" kittens... but cats? "Fuck 'em!"
And speaking of cats...
2. Q LOVES his cats!
Anyone that follows Q (especially through his podcasts) knows that he's rescued and adopted a few cats, and it's probably even safe to say that he loves them more than nearly all of humanity.
But here's something we didn't know: Q installed webcams in his house just so he can keep an eye on his cats when he's traveling. The longer he's on the road (like when The Tenderloins are on tour), he winds up spending more and more of his time staring at the webcams, enjoying the antics (or sleeping) of his many cats.
I say that's adorable! What say you?
Adorable, and in no way crazy!
3. The NC-17 Version of Jokers?
Finding just the right people to involve in the IJ pranks can be a lot of work. It looks so smooth on TV thanks to the magic of the editing pen!
This means that tons of footage lands on the cutting room floor, and there's a lot of it that would get everyone fired if they tried to air it. The whole reason this show exists is because the guys are lifelong friends who love to play pranks on each other, so it certainly shouldn't come as a surprise that many of their pranks are too wild for television.
You might think that there are other options besides television, and you might be right, but...
4. An Impractical Jokers Movie in the Works?
There's nothing set in stone yet, but one goal the guys have is to take IJ to the big screen. They're a bit worried about pushing the envelope too much, though, because when your project is no longer governed by FCC rules, the temptation to add in previously-forbidden content will be very strong. There's an awful lot of teenage fans and families that watch together, so they need to be careful.
Don't hold your breath for this one, folks, but it seems like it's something that's coming eventually!
5. Is there ANY line too far to cross on punishments?
Poor Murr. He's been tattooed, he's been pierced... in our book, that's much harsher than getting chased by a guy in a cat costume! So what could be next? Will the day ever come when Murr's punishment is just a guy with a meat cleaver asking him which finger he uses the least?
I asked Murr about this exact thing at the press conference, and he said that pretty much the only line he draws in the sand is DEATH. That's it!
Strangely, he didn't seem too bothered by the tattoos and piercings. He did bring up the skydiving punishment, though, as the worst moment for him on the show. It "almost broke up our family," he said. We could tell he was upset by that punishment, but we had no idea that it was almost the end for his time on the show!!
Let's just hope that Murr's scariest vision doesn't come true: The series finale including Sal pulling out a gun and shooting Murr point blank.
Like this, only a real gun. The face would be the same.
6. You can now own the Jokers... or other things they work on!
We had no idea that the guys were getting their own line of action figures, but sure enough, here they are, from Spencers!
Q is very proud of the fact that his figure costs more than everyone else's. But where is the Benjamin Cat action figure? Or Larry? Why can't we ever find Larry?!?!?
Meanwhile, both Q and Murr have other creative projects coming soon:
Q has co-written a new comic book series called Metro with seasoned industry vet Cullen Bunn, and art by Walt Flanagan. He gave out free preview issues at SDCC 2017 - here's a picture of Jeff getting his:
No official release date yet, but we'll be excited to snatch this up as soon as we can!
Murr has co-written a Sci-Fi/Thriller novel with Darren Wearmouth called Awakened, which appears to be due out in Mid-2018. The premise - an evil unleashed underneath New York City - has already received a lot of notice, including having been optioned for a future TV series by IDW!
We're really happy for Murr, Q, Sal, and Joe (who skipped San Diego to attend the birth of his second child!) for all of their continuing success. We cannot wait to see what they come up with next!!
For full audio of everything they said at their press conference, click the play button below:
