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.
