Overview
- Cleto Escobedo III was the longtime musical director and bandleader of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live for nearly 23 years.
- Kimmel said they had been inseparable since he was nine and asked audiences to keep Escobedo's wife, children, and parents in their prayers.
- The host told viewers he will take a short break from the show in the coming days.
- Reports note he had already canceled last Thursday's episode for personal reasons and returned on Monday before sharing the news.
- Coverage recalls the show’s brief September hiatus following Kimmel’s comments about the fatal attack on activist Charlie Kirk, after which broadcasts resumed a week later.