The familiar upbeat opening of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was replaced Tuesday by a somber and profoundly personal message, as host Jimmy Kimmel fought back tears to honor a man who had been by his side since childhood: his friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III. Escobedo passed away at the age of 59, leaving a void in the late-night institution and a deep wound in the heart of its host.
“We’ve been on the air for almost 23 years, and I’ve had to do some hard monologues along the way,” Kimmel began, his voice thick with emotion. “But this one’s the hardest because late last night, early this morning, we lost someone very special who was much too young to go, and I’d like to tell you about him, if you don’t mind.”
As he spoke, photos from a shared past in Las Vegas illuminated the screen, painting a picture of a friendship forged in youth. In the audience, Escobedo’s parents, including his father who is a member of the show’s band, watched the moving tribute. Kimmel recounted the origins of their bond, which began on a neighborhood block. “There was a boy who lived on my block. He lived across the street and two houses over. He was a little over a year older than me. His name was Cleto, but we all called him junior,” he explained.
Their connection quickly grew from proximity to an inseparable friendship. “Eventually, we met and became friends. And not just regular friends. We became 24/7, ‘Mom, please let me sleep over, please,’ kind of friends,” Kimmel shared. He offered a vivid memory of their closeness: “One summer, I slept over at the Escobedo house 33 nights in a row. My mother used to make me get down on my knees and beg to sleep at his house in front of him. And I would gladly do it, because we were never bored. We were always up to something.”
That childhood camaraderie unexpectedly transitioned into a professional partnership decades later. When Kimmel secured his own late-night show in 2003, his first choice to lead the band was the friend who knew him best. He admitted the pitch to executives was less than conventional. “‘My best friend from growing up plays the saxophone, he could lead the band,’ didn’t sound good,” Kimmel confessed.
Despite any initial reservations, the audition proved to be a defining moment. Escobedo and his father, Cleto Escobedo II, performed for the network decision-makers. “They played ‘Pick Up the Pieces’ by the Average White Band,” Kimmel remembered. The performance, infused with a powerful father-son dynamic, was instantly compelling. “Lloyd saw it. He saw the father and son. He said, ‘I love it!’ And he got up and left. And we’ve been working together every day for almost 23 years.”
The loss has deeply affected the entire production. Kimmel expressed the collective grief of his television family, stating, “Everyone here at the show we are devastated by this. It’s just not fair. He was the nicest, most humble, kind and always funny person.” In the wake of Escobedo’s passing, the host announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would be taking “the next couple of nights off,” a testament to the bandleader’s integral role.
The news followed an earlier, abrupt cancellation of a Thursday episode, which Kimmel took off to be with Escobedo as his health declined. The host also shared a public tribute on his Instagram account, encapsulating the depth of their relationship. “To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,” he 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 heartfelt post served as a poignant reminder of a unique journey—from two kids on a Las Vegas street to two men realizing an improbable dream under the Hollywood lights, side-by-side for nearly a quarter-century.