I know a lot of people probably don’t like Jimmy Kimmel, but you have to show some empathy for the family of Cleto Escobedo III.
The musician was the long-time band leader of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On Nov. 11, he reportedly passed away following a long-term illness. On the show on that night, Kimmel fought back tears with no luck as he recalled the life of Escobedo, who was also his long-time friend as they grew up in the suburbs of Las Vegas.
For 20 minutes, Kimmel told the audience about their times as children and their rise to fame and fortune. It was a sad, somber moment that was also a very personal revelation by the late-night talk show host. Kimmel said the reason he went on with the show is because Eddie Murphy was a guest and Escobedo was a fan.
Escobedo’s father, Cleto Escobedo II, was in the house bad Cleto and the Cletones, as his mother was in the audience.
I have to say the first comments I saw when news of this spread was ugly comments from people mocking Kimmel. In September, his show was paused temporarily. When Charlie Kirk was murdered on Sept. 10, Kimmel made a comment that President Trump was mourning him the way a four-year-old kids mourns losing a goldfish.
Tyler James Robinson is the alleged shooter in the murder. It’s been reported he is a conservative and part of the MAGA movement, even though early reports tried to paint him differently. Kimmel said during his monologue the MAGA movement was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
These comments angered Brendan Carr, chair of the FCC, who tried to spin the comments. And conservative leaning media companies Nexstar Media and Sinclair Broadcasting said they would refuse to carry the show of their ABC affiliates who temporarily took the show off the air.
However, the show was put back on the air about a week later with high ratings and millions of views on YouTube. For Kimmel, it’s been a tough time as his friend was in pain while the President of the United States is praising the Fascist tactics of corporations trying to grease the wheels with the government.
It’s shameless that a man like the one who sits in the Oval Office would go off so happily on the prospects of a lot of people losing their jobs.
I’m not surprised that people thought they could criticize Kimmel and the family of Escobedo because they’ve let their political beliefs get in the way. A lot of them didn’t even know who Kirk was until he was shot and killed. They are also the same people who openly praised and laughed at the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul.
There’s a saying that goes: “There’s no hate like Christian love.” And in two weeks, the same people being ugly toward Kimmel, Pelosi and others will talk about how “blessed” they are around Thanksgiving while millions of people are worried how the government shutdown will impact them.
And then there is Christmas, the celebration of the birth of a child from the Middle-East born to a family who had to flee Bethlehem shortly thereafter.
I like to think a lot of it is racism and anger caused by people who are too old to care about others. I keep hearing how the kids today are bad but I don’t see that. I see more bitterness from a generation that prospered on the fruits and labors of their elders only to be bitter they’re no longer the center of attention they once were.
Go watch Kimmel’s heart-warming and touching tribute to his dear friend, his brother from another mother and you realize that family isn’t just bound by blood and marriage. Peace and love be with the family and friends of Escobedo and Kimmel.
Zane Says 