“Tough year for Jimmy for sure”: Internet mourns Cleto Escobedo III after Jimmy Kimmel’s on-air breakdown

Cleto Escobedo III, the bandleader of the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, died on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the age of 59. A close personal friend of Jimmy Kimmel, his untimely death has left the television host devastated, and he was moved to tears while delivering the opening monologue that night. 

The late musician was at the helm of the music band on Kimmel's show since its debut in 2003. Known as Cleto and the Cletones, the band played a mix of funk, jazz, and soul, with Cleto working his magic on the saxophone. Kimmel, who shared that he has been best friends with Cleto since childhood, has confirmed that he will be taking the rest of the week off in light of the event. 

Kimmel's grief was shared by fans on social media, with a person commenting on Reddit, "Jesus, I can't imagine losing a friend of 40-50 years. Tough year for Jimmy for sure."

"Few people meet friends that real, and Hollywood is known for breaking up the best of friendships/relationships. Jimmy and Cleto must have had a bond that ran deep. They were lucky to have met each other," observed another on the social networking platform. 

More people shared their sympathy on Instagram, where Kimmel shared a heartfelt tribute to Cleto writing, "Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III. To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement."

He went on to share that they were inseparable since he was nine years old. It was beyond their wildest dream that they could work together for all these years.

"Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers," he added, alongside a picture of the musician. 

Jimmy Kimmel's tribute to Cleto Escobedo III during Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue

A visibly emotional Kimmel commemorated Cleto during his 22-minute-long opening monologue on Tuesday, noting that of all the difficult monologues that he has delivered over his time on the show over the last 23 years, this one is the most difficult for him. 

He recalled the good time that they spent together, saying, "We laughed so hard. We had our own language that almost no one else understood. We didn’t have to say anything. We’d sit here at rehearsal every day. We didn’t have to look at each other. I knew he was thinking about looking at me, and I was thinking about looking at him. We look at each other like this, and that would be it."

The host broke down in tears multiple times in front of the crowd, as he shared:

"Everyone loves Cleto. 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."

Cleto's father, Cleto Sr., is also a member of the band playing at Jimmy Kimmel Live! and was present in the studio, along with Cleto's mother, Sylvia, when Kimmel paid tribute to their son. 

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