Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, dancer and 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' DJ, dies at 40
Stephen "tWitch" Boss, choreographer, DJ and co-host of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," has died. He was 40.
Boss died by suicide at a hotel Tuesday, according to a report from the Los Angeles medical examiner.
Boss, known as "tWitch" on DeGeneres' long-running syndicated daytime talk show, joined the show as a guest DJ in 2014 before becoming a permanent fixture and later being named the show's co-executive producer in 2020. ("Ellen" ended its 19-year run in May.)
His wife, dancer Allison Holker, shared a statement about his death to People magazine.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us," she said. "Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans."
'I'm heartbroken': Ellen DeGeneres, more celebs mourn the death of Stephen 'tWitch' Boss:
"To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt," her statement continued. "I am certain there won't be a day that goes by that we won't honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children."
She ended her tribute, "Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you."
USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Boss and Holker, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department and the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner for comment.
The Montgomery, Alabama, native, who started dancing at 16, competed on the fourth season of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" in 2008 and finished in second place. He first caught DeGeneres' attention in 2010, when he was part of the cast of "Dance" and worked with DeGeneres on a routine, a moment DeGeneres called "a crash course in getting to know each other."
Boss was invited on "Ellen" in 2013 as a guest DJ before becoming a show staple the following year. He hyped up the studio crowd with the signature dance session that started every episode of the show.
Boss told USA TODAY in 2014 that the biggest challenge when chasing stardom was "keeping the resilience of a dream alive. It takes years and years and years. J. Lo is our poster child. That's how you do it. She was a Fly Girl back in the ’90s. You can get a great gig, but you have to continue to work. That's the way to do it."
In addition to his gig on "Ellen," Boss appeared in 2015’s "Magic Mike XXL" and films in the “Step Up” franchise.
In response to 2020 allegations slamming "Ellen" as a toxic workplace, Boss told Us Weekly that the show had “some things to address, but from my standpoint and from countless others, there’s been love. I’ll just leave it at that until there’s a time where we can address more publicly.”
On the penultimate episode of DeGeneres' talk show, the comedian paid tribute to the man who “changed my life and our show.”
In a recorded video honoring Boss, she said that her "pal" "really, really makes me laugh" and that the two always exchanged “I love yous” when parting for the day. "We tell each other that every day," she said. "He says, ‘Love you much,’ and I say, ‘Love you.’”
“I love the family that we’ve gained," a choked-up Boss said in reaction to the surprise, "and something that I’ll always remember is that you gave me a place where I could just be myself.”
DeGeneres is one of the celebrities who took to social media to memorialize Boss. "I’m heartbroken," she captioned a photo of the two embracing during her show's final episode. "tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children –- Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia."
Boss returned to "So You Think You Can Dance" as a judge for the show's 17th season in May.
Boss and Holker became social media sensations with their energetic and coordinated dance routines, which sometimes featured their children, Weslie, 14, Maddox, 6, and Zaia, 3.
Boss gave “Ellen” viewers a taste of his son's talent when he hosted the show’s first Father’s Day episode in 2021.
“My favorite job is being a dad, even though the hours aren’t great and the pay is pretty lousy,” Boss joked before dancing with Maddox. “Nah, I’m kidding. You get paid in love and Cheetos dust and crumbs that they leave in the furniture. So that’s good.”
Days before his death, he celebrated nine years of marriage with Holker, 34, on Instagram Saturday, sharing three images from their 2013 wedding.
"Happy anniversary my love," he wrote.
If you or someone you know needs support for mental health, suicidal thoughts or substance abuse call, text or chat:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 and 988lifeline.org
BlackLine: 800-604-5841 and callblackline.com
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 and translifeline.org
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 800-273-8255 and press 1 to talk to someone or send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder. You can also start a confidential online chat session at Veterans Crisis Chat. veteranscrisisline.net
Contributing: Donna Freydkin, Amy Haneline, Naledi Ushe and Hannah Yasharoff
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen 'tWitch' Boss dead: The 'Ellen' show DJ, dancer was 40
