Guillermo Rodriguez, a much-loved face on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is taking a stroll down memory lane, reflecting on his journey to the late-night show as part of ABC’s Hispanic Heritage Month spotlight.
In a sneak peek shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Guillermo, 50, chats with Cleto Escobedo III, the show’s veteran musical director and band leader, in one of the featurettes crafted for the network’s month-long celebration. Guillermo proudly notes that Escobedo, 55, holds the distinction of being the sole Latino band leader in late-night TV.
“I’m really proud of that,” Escobedo remarks. “There are only a handful of us who are fortunate enough to land this gig, and I make it my mission to represent us in the best light possible.”
Reflecting on his beginnings with the show, Guillermo, who is of Mexican-American descent, reminisces about his humble start. Once upon a time, he worked as a security guard in the parking lot — and he even got caught napping in announcer Dicky Barrett’s car.
“We come here to work hard and strive for improvement,” Guillermo recalls. “When I first got this job, I was out in the parking lot catching some Z’s in Dicky’s car. He busted me, asking, ‘What are you doing here?’ I sheepishly replied, ‘Just trying to catch some sleep, sorry!'”
“Dicky went straight to Jimmy and said, ‘Hey, this guy was caught sleeping in my car,'” Guillermo continues. “And Jimmy’s response was, ‘We gotta get this guy on the show.'”
Guillermo made his debut in skits during Kimmel’s inaugural season back in 2003. While he still holds onto his security guard title, he’s become a regular presence alongside Kimmel, 53, on the nightly program.
Escobedo, who has been pals with Kimmel since childhood, has also been a part of Jimmy Kimmel Live! since day one.
“Jimmy called me up and said, ‘Hey man, I’m thinking of doing this show. Wanna be my band leader?'” Escobedo fondly recalls in the featurette. “Of course, I jumped at the chance. It’s been the best gig ever.”
