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Jimmy Kimmel is honoring his late friend and bandleader Cleto Escobedo with a charitable tribute.
The late-night host, 58, and Escobedo’s loved ones have created two fundraisers to remember him, three days after his death on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at age 59.
“Cleto was always kind and eager to help others,” Kimmel wrote in a Nov. 14 Instagram post, sharing two photos of Escobedo — one with his wife, two children and dog, and the other of him with Kimmel while working together on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, both holding saxophones and laughing.
“As we mourn his loss, we have started two fundraisers to celebrate his life and give back,” he continued. “The first is for UCLA Medical Center where he received such incredible care. Together we can help vulnerable patients and families in need of financial assistance during hard times.”
Kimmel added that the second fundraiser, intended “to honor” his childhood best friend’s “love of animals,” is for The Animal Foundation, which he detailed is “in our hometown of Las Vegas.”
The comedian shared links to both fundraisers in his Instagram bio.
A statement on the UCLA fundraiser reads, “In memory of our friend Cleto, we’d like to thank all the hardworking specialists, doctors, and nurses at UCLA. They worked tirelessly and generously to give him the best care.”
“Cleto was always kind and eager to help others,” it continues. “To honor his generous spirit, we’d like to help vulnerable patients and families in need of financial assistance during hard times. Let’s help others in Cleto’s name.”
The Animal Foundation’s fundraiser, titled “In Loving Memory of Cleto,” shared a message from Escobedo’s family, who described him as “a beloved friend, father, and animal lover whose heart was always open to pets in need.”
“Cleto was a compassionate animal lover,” the family wrote. “He loved each of his rescue dogs like they were family. Please consider making a donation to The Animal Foundation in his hometown of Las Vegas. Cleto would have loved his friends and family helping to provide safety, healing and homes for pets in need.”
According to The Animal Foundation’s website, the nonprofit organization runs one of the highest-volume, single-site animal shelters in the country, which cares for more than 20,000 animals every year through sheltering, adoption, veterinary care and community support programs.
Kimmel previously confirmed Escobedo’s death via Instagram.
In his caption, the star called Escobedo a “great friend, father, son, musician and man,” and he remembered his time as his “longtime bandleader.” (His group, Cleto and the Cletones, provided the music for Jimmy Kimmel Live! since the show’s 2003 premiere.)
“To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,” Kimmel continued at the time. “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.”
He added, “Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
Maddie Meyer/Getty
Kimmel previously told ABC 7 that his friend — whose father also performed tenor and alto saxophones on Jimmy Kimmel Live! — was a “child prodigy.”
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Kimmel began the Nov. 11 episode of his late-night show in tears, opening his monologue with a special tribute to Escobedo, calling it the “hardest” one he’s ever had to deliver. Cleto Escobedo Sr. performed in the show’s band during the Nov. 11 taping.
“Everyone loves Cleto … everyone here at the show,” Kimmel said. “We are devastated by this. It’s not … It’s just not fair.” He later cancelled the following shows on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.
Jimmy Kimmel/Instagram
Escobedo previously called his time on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the “best gig ever.”
“I play sax because he played sax when I was a kid — my dad sacrificed a lot for me,” he said during an ABC Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month featurette in 2021.
“He was a musician for many years, he was on the road a lot before I was born. And then when I started going to school, he quit playing just so he could be home with me and got a job as a busboy at Caesar’s Palace and worked there for 30 years,” Escobedo added.
