Following the passing of his longtime friend and bandleader Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel has decided to step away from his late-night talk show to mourn the loss.

After paying tribute to Escobedo III during the show’s latest episode, Kimmel tearfully revealed that he will be taking a leave of absence.

“We’re going to take the next couple of nights off,” the late-night talk show host emotionally stated. “But I want to be here tonight to tell you about my friend.”

Noting why the show came back for the evening, Kimmel revealed it was for the episode’s special guest, Eddie Murphy. “Cleto loved Eddie Murphy a lot,” he explained. “And I don’t think he would have wanted us to miss this. So, we will be right back with Eddie Murphy.”

Jimmy Kimmel Announced Cleto Escobodedo III Passed Away i

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