Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears throughout an emotional tribute to his longtime buddy and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III.
Kimmel, 57, opened the Tuesday, November 11, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! by remembering Escobedo, who died early Tuesday morning at age 59, and was overcome with emotion as he tried to get via his monologue.
The late-night discuss present host said he's “needed to do some onerous monologues” over the course of the final 23 years, “however this one's the toughest, as a result of late final evening, 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 shifting from Brooklyn, New York, to Las Vegas.
Jimmy Kimmel introduced on Tuesday, November 11, that his longtime buddy and present bandleader Cleto Escobedo III died on the age of 59. “Early this morning, we misplaced a fantastic buddy, 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 just a little bit older than me. He was a yr older than me. His identify was Cleto,” Kimmel stated as he fought again tears.
“Finally we met. We turned pals — and never simply common pals. We turned 24/7 ‘Mother-please-let-me-sleep-over-please' form of pals. One summer time 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'd gladly do it, ‘trigger we had been by no means bored.”
Kimmel described his childhood bond with Escobedo, together with boxing, prank-calling neighbors and making an attempt to sneakily watch Betamax movies and HBO to “see bare folks,” he quipped.
As they grew up, Kimmel stated, Escobedo, like his father — Cleto Escobedo Sr. — turned a musician and ultimately toured with Paula Abdul, signed a file take care of the previous American Idol decide and launched an album.
Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney had been colleagues for six years on Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! earlier than their relationship developed into one thing extra. McNearney, who started relationship Kimmel in 2009, defined how their office friendship transitioned right into a romance. “All of the writers would socialize after the present, and we might simply hang around an increasing number of. We […]
Nevertheless it was when Kimmel landed his personal ABC discuss present in September 2002 that the lifelong pals turned work colleagues. Escobedo has been the bandleader of Kimmel's home band, Cleto and the Cletones, since Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! premiered in January 2003.
“I needed Cleto to steer 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 carry it up. As a result of I knew [saying], ‘My greatest buddy from rising up performs the saxophone, he may lead the band,' wasn't a fantastic pitch.”
“Not solely did I need Cleto to steer 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 remainder is historical past. “We've been working collectively on daily basis 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 folks have by no means as soon as yelled at me. Not one time. They're one of the best folks.”
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 dying.
“It's simply not honest,” he stated. “He was the nicest, most humble, form and at all times humorous particular person,” he added.
Kimmel thanked the hospital workers who took care of Escobedo within the closing months of his life because of an unspecified sickness, and prolonged his well-wishes to his household.
He concluded, “Cherish your mates. We're not right here without end.”
Jimmy Kimmel and his spouse, Molly McNearney, are opening up about how his late present being suspended impacted their complete household. Throughout a current look on the “We Can Do Exhausting Issues” podcast, the couple seemed again on the aftermath of ABC abruptly pulling Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! off the air in September amid backlash for […]
Kimmel famous that after Tuesday's program, he could be taking a “couple of nights off” from Jimmy Kimmel Dwell! because the forged and crew mourn the present's bandleader.
Kimmel introduced Escobedo's dying in an Instagram publish earlier on Tuesday. “Early this morning, we misplaced a fantastic buddy, 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 on daily basis is a dream neither of us might ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your mates and please preserve Cleto's spouse, youngsters and oldsters in your prayers.”
