James Murray Admits This Impractical Jokers Spin-Off Was A Total Cash Grab
They say if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. Luckily for the team behind "Impractical Jokers," they love watching their friend get multiple tattoos of Jaden Smith. Such hijinks have been a boon financially for James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn, Sal Vulcano, and Joe Gatto prior to his Season 9 departure, as well truTV, for whom the prankster series has become a network linchpin.
Since premiering in 2011, "Impractical Jokers" has launched a mini empire of sorts with one goal in mind: make each other crack up. In early 2020, they extended their singular vision towards the big screen with "Impractical Jokers: The Movie," which enlisted the likes of Paula Abdul and Joey Fatone (via IMDb). In addition to the movie, "Impractical Jokers" has also spawned a number of spinoff series. Here's the one that the Jokers admit was an attempt to line their pockets.
The Impractical Jokers took the money and ran with Inside Jokes
On the sadistic "Hot Ones" spinoff "Truth or Dab," intrepid guests must choose between answering uncomfortable, even incriminating questions, or chomping down atomic wings. The "Impractical Jokers" stars, while familiar with debasing themselves on television, weren't prepared to reach the upper echelons of the Scoville scale.
To his fellow Jokers' chagrin, James "Murr" Murray was quick to reveal that, of the "Impractical Jokers" spinoffs, "Inside Jokes" was mostly "for the bag." "Don't say it," yelled Sal in protest. "Eat the wing! We have a reputation!" Murr tried to save face, saying, "We do it for the passion and love of comedy" before biting into the hot wing. "You had the out, instead you choose to insult everyone we work with," Sal joked as his friend succumbed to coughing fits and brow sweat.
"Inside Jokes" is just one spinoff in a list that also includes "After Party," "Dinner Party," and the short-lived "Jokers Wild." It's no surprise that "Inside Jokes" was easy money for the Jokers. Unlike the other spinoffs, which required new bits, analysis, and commentary, "Inside Jokes" simply plays replays of classic episodes with added text bubbles of behind-the-scenes stories and fun facts. Still, Murr insists that he didn't mean to spill the beans about the biggest "Impractical Jokers" cash grab. "In my defense, I didn't know what 'for the bag' meant."