A tearful Jimmy Kimmel struggled to speak before the audience during his live show on Wednesday, Nov. 12 (Nov. 11 in the United States), as he paid tribute to his show’s late bandleader and childhood friend Cleto Escobedo III.
The American TV host dedicated his opening monologue to Cleto, who died earlier that day at age 59.
‘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,’ he began, lamenting how the musician was ‘too young to go.’
‘Everyone here at the show, we are devastated by this. It’s just not fair. He was the nicest, most humble, kind, always funny person,’ he added.
Kimmel then looked back at how they started their friendship after they met in 1977 as neighbors. They had been inseparable since then, with the TV host crediting Cleto for teaching him a lot of things.
Kimmel also underscored how he treats Cleto’s parents as his second parents. Cleto’s dad is also part of Kimmel’s show band.
‘We had our own language that almost no one else understood. We didn’t have to say anything,’ Kimmel recalled.
The comedian further spoke about how growing up, Cleto was the ‘star’ between the two of them but that the latter never had even an ounce of ‘jealousy, envy, passive aggressiveness’ toward him.
‘He was proud of me. He loved me,’ Kimmel said. ‘He’s just a great older brother. No baggage, all love. There’s no one in my life I felt more comfortable with.’
‘Even though I’m heartbroken to lose him, I can take yet another lesson from him and acknowledge how lucky I was to have him at literally at my side for so many years,’ he continued.
While Cleto’s cause of death was not immediately disclosed, Page Six reported that it may have been due to ‘complications stemming from a liver transplant.’
Kimmel expressed his gratitude to the medical staff of UCLA for taking good care of the musician.
Concluding his message, Kimmel reminded his viewers, ‘Cherish your friends. We’re not here forever.’ Kimmel said the show will take a couple nights off in light of Cleto’s passing.