The sudden death of Jimmy Kimmel’s friend, Cleto Escobedo, has shocked the entertainment industry. Cleto Escobedo III was the leader of Kimmel’s house band, Cleto and the Cletones. He passed away on Tuesday, November 11. Kimmel has since shared a heartfelt tribute post for his late friend on Instagram. He also delivered a speech offering his sincere condolences to Escobedo’s family on last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Stars react to Cleto Escobedo’s death
Jimmy Kimmel’s fellow celebrity friends have reacted to the passing of his friend Cleto Escobedo. Kimmel wrote on Instagram, “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.”
Continuing further, he shared, “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.”
Finally, he requested that his fans keep Cleto’s bereaved family in their prayers. He wrote, “Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children, and parents in your prayers.”
Tributes poured in from celebrities in the comments section, expressing grief over Escobedo’s death. Jennifer Aniston liked the tribute post. Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet wrote, “So sorry to hear this, Jimmy. He was AWESOME. Love to his family.” American stunt performer, actor, and screenwriter Johnny Knoxville commented, “Love to you, Cleto, and his whole family.”
American comedian and actress Wanda Sykes commented, “Heartbreaking. So very sorry.” Moreover, Canadian comedian and television personality Howie Mandel commented with a simple but heartfelt, “So sorry.”
Meanwhile, American singer and actress Paula Abdul paid homage to the late Cleto Escobedo by sharing an emotional Instagram post. She wrote, “His talent and energy were undeniable, and he went on to have an amazing career, reuniting with his best friend Jimmy Kimmel as the bandleader on Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Actor Adam Scott also shared a heartfelt post about Escobedo’s passing on his Instagram account, writing, “RIP the great Cleto Escobedo III. Such a kind, talented guy who will be sorely missed.”
Notably, Jimmy Kimmel delivered a sincere and heartfelt speech on his show last night, remembering Escobedo. He also announced that the Wednesday, November 12, and Thursday, November 13 episodes of the talk show are canceled to mourn his friend’s death.
Originally reported by Anwaya Mane on Mandatory.
