Jimmy Kimmel hosts "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Jimmy Kimmel is back on the air after taking some personal time to mourn the loss of his close friend.

The late-night host's ABC show returned on Nov. 17, with guests Samuel L. Jackson and Ms. Pat. Kimmel went on hiatus for several days after the death of his friend Cleto Escobedo III, bandleader for the show's in-house band Cleto and the Cletones.

During the opening credits of the show's Nov. 17 episode, the band was introduced as The Cletones.

Kimmel most recently hosted his show on Nov. 11. In an emotional monologue, he broke down in tears and shared that Escobedo, Kimmel's bandleader and best friend since childhood, had died at age 59.

Kimmel spent more than 20 minutes memorializing Escobedo on the show, describing this as the hardest monologue he has ever had to deliver.

"Everyone loves Cleto," he said. "Everyone here at this show, we are devastated by this. It's just not fair. He was the nicest, most humble, kind and always funny person."

"Even though I'm heartbroken to lose him, I'm going to take yet another lesson from him and acknowledge how lucky I was to have him literally at my side for so many years," Kimmel added.

Kimmel met Escobedo as a child when they were neighbors in Las Vegas. After he got his own late-night show in 2003, the comedian hired Escobedo, a saxophonist, as his bandleader. Escobedo's father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., also plays saxophone for Cleto and the Cletones, and Kimmel noted Escobedo's mother would come to the show every day to be near her husband and son.

Kimmel announced in his Nov. 11 monologue that he going to "take the next couple of nights off" but "wanted to be here tonight to tell you about my friend." He also noted that Escobedo "loved Eddie Murphy," who was a guest on the Nov. 11 show, and didn't "think he would have wanted us to miss this."

Kimmel was off the air for the remainder of the week. His break came after Kimmel previously postponed an episode on Nov. 6 over a personal matter.

On Nov. 14, Kimmel announced he is launching a pair of fundraisers in Escobedo's honor: one for UCLA Medical Center, where Escobedo was treated, and another for a Las Vegas animal shelter, to "honor his love of animals."

"Cleto was always kind and eager to help others," Kimmel said. "As we mourn his loss, we have started two fundraisers to celebrate his life and give back."

Contributing: KiMi Robinson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jimmy Kimmel returns to late-night show after Cleto Escobedo's death

Reporting by Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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