Murr Is Scared The Impractical Jokers Will Find Out About His Fear Of Spiders

It takes tough skin to be one of the stars of "Impractical Jokers." The long-running reality series is infamous for the torturous punishments that each member of its starring comedy troupe has been subjected to at one point or another. Their punishments never hold back, usually involving some form of boundary-pushing public humiliation. While it can be painful to watch some of these comedians go through such cringe-inducing acts, it's all in a day's work for the team, who never fail to go through with even the most agonizing forms of embarrassment.

But even the most bulletproof jokers have a breaking point. Often, the hardest-hitting punishments are the ones that target a cast member's weaknesses or fears. Whether it's making family man Joe Gatto steal baseballs from children or exploiting Sal Vulcano's fear of cats, no Joker is without their Achilles heel. But while James "Murr" Murray has had his fair share of stomach-churning experiences on the show, the cast was unaware of one of his greatest fears — until he announced it publicly.

James Murray has been subjected to some of the harshest punishments ever dished up on "Impractical Jokers." From being used as a human piñata to having his eyebrows shaven off, Murr's torment seemingly knows no end. 

But a 2015 fan web chat may have revealed yet another way his treatment could worsen. When asked by a fan what he would do if his fellow Jokers secretly handed him a tarantula during a presentation, Murr admits, "I would've freaked out ...That'd be horrible. I'm deathly afraid of spiders." After making the exclamation, Murray's face freezes, followed by him saying to the camera, "Erase that part from the tape because I don't want the other Jokers to hear that I hate spiders." While the Jokers have exploited Murr's fear of heights and sharks in the past, it seems his eight-legged phobia is prime for the taking. 

Surprisingly, while a terrible tarantula prank was pulled on Brian "Q" Quinn in 2016, no such punishment has yet been dished out on Murr. But knowing the Jokers, it's only a matter of time before their fellow Tenderloin member is caught in the web he spun.