Following the passing of his longtime friend and bandleader Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel has decided to step away from his late-night talk show to mourn the loss.
Videos by Suggest
After paying tribute to Escobedo during the show’s latest episode, Kimmel tearfully revealed that he will be taking a leave of absence.
“We’re going to take the next couple of nights off,” the late-night talk show host emotionally stated. “But I want to be here tonight to tell you about my friend.”
Noting why the show came back for the evening, Kimmel revealed it was for the episode’s special guest, Eddie Murphy. “Cleto loved Eddie Murphy a lot,” he explained. “And I don’t think he would have wanted us to miss this. So, we will be right back with Eddie Murphy.”
Jimmy Kimmel Announced Cleto Escobodedo III Passed Away in an Emotional Instagram Post
Jimmy Kimmel initially announced the death of Cleto Escobedo III in an Instagram post. The late musician had been battling health issues leading up to his death at the age of 59.
“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician, and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” the comedian shared. “To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement.”
He also wrote, “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children, and parents in your prayers.”
The late-night talk show/comedian used the latest episode’s monologue to reflect on his friendship with Escobedo.
“In 1977, my family moved to Las Vegas,” he continued. “My parents sold our house in Brooklyn, and we moved 3,000 miles across the country. [Escobedo III] was a year older than me. His name was Cleto, but we called him Junior.”
Kimmel then said, “When you do a show like this, you need a few things. You need a desk, an announcer, a Guillermo, and you need a band. Of course, I wanted Cleto to lead my band. We grew up watching Dave (Letterman) and Paul (Shaffer), and the idea that anyone other than him would lead the band was terrifying. It had to be him.”