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Jimmy Kimmel Mourns Bandleader Cleto Escobedo III's Passing

11/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Cleto Escobedo III, bandleader for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, died on November 11 at 59.
Kimmel expressed heartbreak in an Instagram post.
In Escobedo's honor, his family encouraged donations to The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas.
Kimmel announced fundraisers for UCLA Medical Center and The Animal Foundation to celebrate Escobedo's life.
The show canceled episodes after his death, with Kimmel calling the monologue the hardest he had ever delivered.

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Story summary

Cleto Escobedo III, bandleader for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, died on November 11 at 59.
Kimmel expressed heartbreak in an Instagram post.
In Escobedo's honor, his family encouraged donations to The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas.
Kimmel announced fundraisers for UCLA Medical Center and The Animal Foundation to celebrate Escobedo's life.
The show canceled episodes after his death, with Kimmel calling the monologue the hardest he had ever delivered.