“Jimmy Kimmel live!” will not air new episodes for the remainder of the week following the death of Jimmy Kimmel’s friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, known professionally as Jr. The show paused production mid-broadcast on November 21, 2023, after Kimmel delivered an emotional tribute to Escobedo, who died unexpectedly.
The cancellation impacts scheduled guests including Danny DeVito, Howard Jones, and Debbie Gibson, who were slated to appear on Wednesday, November 22nd, as well as Jason Bateman, Mr. T, and Susanna Hoffs, booked for Thursday, November 23rd. Rescheduling plans are underway.The break follows Kimmel’s heartfelt on-air remembrance of Escobedo, a musical director he’d known since childhood.
Kimmel announced the hiatus at the close of Wednesday’s monologue, stating, “Cherish your friends, we’re not here forever…we’re going to take the next couple of nights off, I wanted to be here tonight to tell you about my friend and Cleto loved Eddie Murphy and he wouldn’t have wanted us to miss this.” The show continued with its scheduled guests, Eddie Murphy and Morgan Fairchild, despite the somber news.
During the tribute, Kimmel described the loss as “the hardest” monologue he’d ever delivered in nearly 23 years on air. He recalled their shared admiration for David Letterman and Escobedo’s early talent as a “child prodigy” saxophone player, noting his prior work with Paula Abdul.
News of Escobedo’s passing emerged November 21,2023,prompting an outpouring of condolences within the entertainment industry. No cause of death has been publicly released.
