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As we previously reported, Jimmy Kimmel’s bandleader and lifelong friend, Cleto Escobedo, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday.
He was just 59 years old.
On last night’s episode of his show, Kimmel paid loving tribute to Escobedo in the most emotional monologue of his career.
“We’ve been on the air for almost 23 years and I’ve had to do some hard monologues along the way, but this one’s the hardest because late last night, early this morning, we lost someone very special who was much too young,” Kimmel told his audience:
“Everyone loves Cleto… everyone here at the show,” Kimmel later said. “We are devastated by this. It’s not… It’s just not fair.”
Kimmel also revealed that the next two episodes of his show had been canceled.
“We’re going to take the next couple of nights off,” he said.
He explained that he and his crew went through with last night’s show only because Cleto wouldn’t have wanted them to miss out on interviewing Eddie Murphy.
Cleto’s father, Cleto Escobedo Sr., is also a member of Kimmel’s house band, and he took his usual position last night in honor of his son.
Escobedo’s mother was in the audience for the live episode.
Kimmel announced Cleto’s passing in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,” Kimmel 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.”
In his monologue, Kimmel explained how he first met Cleto shortly after his family moved from Brooklyn to Las Vegas when he was a young boy.
In a recent interview, Kimmel recalled that hiring his “child prodigy” friend as bandleader was non-negotiable when he landed his late night gig back in 2003.
“I’ll tell you one thing. It had to have my band leader, Cleto,” the host told ABC7, adding:
“I was nervous, because I thought they’d say, ‘We don’t want your friend to be the band leader.’ So I took the president of ABC to see him play with his band, and he loved it.
“Of course I wanted great musicians, but I wanted somebody I had chemistry with. And there’s nobody in my life I have better chemistry with than him,” Kimmel explained.
His passing comes at a time when Kimmel’s show has been making headlines due to the host’s ongoing feud with Donald Trump.
Our thoughts go out to Cleto Escobedo’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
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