Heartfelt Goodbye: Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Down in Tears Honoring Late Friend and Bandleader Cleto Escobedo III

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On Tuesday night’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, Jimmy Kimmel began the show with a heartfelt remembrance of his friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, who sadly passed away that day at 59.

The host fought back tears while reminiscing about their lifelong friendship, which started when they were children.

I’ve been doing this show for nearly 23 years, and I’ve definitely had to deliver some tough speeches over the years. But honestly, this is the hardest one I’ve ever had to do. We lost someone really special, someone way too young, late last night, and I just want to share a bit about him if you’ll let me.

As Jimmy Kimmel talked, childhood photos of him and his friend, Escobedo, from their days growing up in Las Vegas were shown. Escobedo’s parents, who were watching from the audience, were clearly touched. Escobedo’s father actually plays music in Kimmel’s band.

Kimmel reminisced about his childhood friendship with Escobedo. He explained, “There was a boy who lived nearby – just across the street and a couple of houses down. He was a little older than me, about a year and a half, and his name was Cleto, but everyone called him Junior.”

We eventually became close friends—the kind who did everything together. We were inseparable, constantly asking each other’s parents if we could have sleepovers. One summer, I spent an amazing 33 nights in a row at my friend’s house! My mom would even make me playfully beg him for a sleepover right in front of him, and I didn’t mind at all. We were never bored; we were always finding something fun to do.

Kimmel shared the story of how Escobedo became the musical director for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” back in 2003. He recalled thinking, “My childhood friend plays the saxophone – he’d be perfect to lead the band,” when he first suggested him for the role.

Even though their audition started unexpectedly, Escobedo and his father played “Pick Up the Pieces” by Average White Band. Jimmy Kimmel explained that his producer, Lloyd, immediately loved their performance, stood up, and left the room. Kimmel has been working with them every day since, for nearly 23 years.

Jimmy Kimmel shared that everyone involved with the show was deeply saddened by the passing of a beloved colleague. He described the individual as exceptionally kind, humble, and funny, adding that it felt unfair to lose someone so wonderful. As a tribute, the show announced it would pause for a couple of nights.

It was a really tough week for Jimmy Kimmel, and sadly, it ended with the loss of a lifelong friend. He had to cancel his show earlier in the week when his friend, Cleto Escobedo, took a turn for the worse, and then shared the heartbreaking news of Cleto’s passing on Instagram. He wrote about how close they were – practically brothers since they were kids – and how incredible it was that they eventually got to work together on the show. It was a really emotional post, and he urged everyone to keep Cleto’s family in their thoughts.

Last Tuesday’s show was a total blast – an ’80s night! They had some amazing guests like Eddie Murphy and Morgan Fairchild, and Men at Work performed too. But honestly, the best part was seeing Jimmy Kimmel really celebrate a lifelong friend. It wasn’t just about the guests; it was clear their connection went way back, and he made sure the whole night felt like a tribute to that friendship. It was genuinely touching.

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2025-11-12 18:47