Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears throughout an emotional tribute to his longtime good friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III.
Kimmel, 57, opened the Tuesday, November 11, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Reside! by remembering Escobedo, who died early Tuesday morning at age 59, and was overcome with emotion as he tried to get by way of his monologue.
The late-night discuss present host stated he’s “needed to do some arduous monologues” over the course of the final 23 years, “however this one’s the toughest, as a result of late final night time, early this morning, we misplaced somebody very particular who was a lot too younger to go.”
Kimmel then broke down his historical past with Escobedo, whom he first met when he was 9 years previous upon transferring from Brooklyn, New York, to Las Vegas.
Jimmy Kimmel introduced on Tuesday, November 11, that his longtime good friend and present bandleader Cleto Escobedo III died on the age of 59. “Early this morning, we misplaced an ideal good friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” the discuss present host, 57, wrote in an announcement shared by way of Instagram. “To […]
“There was a boy who lived on my block. … He was a little bit bit older than me. He was a 12 months older than me. His identify was Cleto,” Kimmel stated as he fought again tears.
“Ultimately we met. We grew to become mates — and never simply common mates. We grew to become 24/7 ‘Mother-please-let-me-sleep-over-please’ form of mates. One summer season I slept over on the Escobedo home 33 nights in a row, for actual,” he stated. “My mom used to make me get down on my knees and beg to sleep at his home in entrance of him, and I might gladly do it, ‘trigger we have been by no means bored.”
Kimmel described his childhood bond with Escobedo, together with boxing, prank-calling neighbors and attempting to sneakily watch Betamax movies and HBO to “see bare individuals,” he quipped.
As they grew up, Kimmel stated, Escobedo, like his father — Cleto Escobedo Sr. — grew to become a musician and finally toured with Paula Abdul, signed a report cope with the previous American Idol decide and launched an album.
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Nevertheless it was when Kimmel landed his personal ABC discuss present in September 2002 that the lifelong mates grew to become work colleagues. Escobedo has been the bandleader of Kimmel’s home band, Cleto and the Cletones, since Jimmy Kimmel Reside! premiered in January 2003.
“I needed Cleto to guide my band. … The concept anybody aside from him would lead the band was terrifying. It needed to be him,” the comic stated. “I used to be so scared they’d say no and I must have one other band. I needed to work up the nerve to convey it up. As a result of I knew [saying], ‘My finest good friend from rising up performs the saxophone, he may lead the band,’ wasn’t an ideal pitch.”
“Not solely did I need Cleto to guide the band, I needed his dad to be within the band,” Kimmel continued, noting that Cleto and his father auditioned for an ABC govt and the remaining is historical past. “We’ve been working collectively daily for nearly 23 years now,” Kimmel stated.
“I’ve at all times stated the only smartest thing about doing this present was getting the chance to permit Cleto Sr. to select up the place he left off in 1966 and grow to be a musician once more, together with his son,” Kimmel stated whereas tearing up. “Cleto Sr. and his mother, Sylvia, have been like my second mother and father since I used to be within the 4th grade. I’ve identified them 47 years and these individuals have by no means as soon as yelled at me. Not one time. They’re the most effective individuals.”
Kimmel paid tribute to Escobedo’s widow, Lori, and their two youngsters, including that everybody on the present is “devastated” by the information of his loss of life.
“It’s simply not honest,” he stated. “He was the nicest, most humble, sort and at all times humorous particular person,” he added.
Kimmel thanked the hospital workers who took care of Escobedo within the remaining months of his life on account of an unspecified sickness, and prolonged his well-wishes to his household.
He concluded, “Cherish your folks. We’re not right here ceaselessly.”
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Kimmel famous that after Tuesday’s program, he could be taking a “couple of nights off” from Jimmy Kimmel Reside! because the solid and crew mourn the present’s bandleader.
Kimmel introduced Escobedo’s loss of life in an Instagram publish earlier on Tuesday. “Early this morning, we misplaced an ideal good friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” he wrote. “To say that we’re heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I’ve been inseparable since I used to be 9 years previous. The truth that we set to work collectively daily is a dream neither of us may ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your folks and please hold Cleto’s spouse, youngsters and oldsters in your prayers.”
