Ellen DeGeneres and more share tributes to Stephen “tWitch” Boss
Ellen DeGeneres, JoJo Siwa, Leah Remini and more are among those remembering Stephen "tWtich" Boss after news broke of his death
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Family, friends, and fans alike are mourning the loss of Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the dancer and television personality who first rose to fame as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance. News broke on Wednesday that Boss had died by suicide at the age of 40 years old, leading to an outpouring of tributes from admirers and co-workers, including those from his time as DJ and co-executive producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“I’m heartbroken,” Ellen DeGeneres herself shared on Twitter. “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.”
“To my beloved friend, confidant, and brother… God knows, my heart is at a standstill because I have never known a friend like you. No words, dance, or show can adequately capture just how magnificent your existence was to this world and me,” wrote fellow Ellen alum Kalen Allen in a lengthy Twitter tribute. “In a world where it was easy to get lost in the shadows, I am grateful that we always saw each other. We were each other’s number one fan and often the light in each other’s darkest hours. I am very sorry that the darkness found a voice this time and became too loud.”
Tributes also came from fans of SYTYCD, many of whom posted some of his notable performances on the show.
He was also remembered in tributes from colleagues on the series, where he had recently been elevated from All Star contestant to judge alongside JoJo Siwa and Leah Remini. “We will always remember Stephen “tWitch” Boss for the light and joy he brought into our lives and into the hearts of so many. We grieve alongside his family, loved ones and fans. tWitch, we will miss you dearly,” the FOX series said in a statement on its Twitter page.
“twitch was a best friend and a mentor not just to me but to SO many,” Siwa wrote in part in her Instagram memorial. “I’ll never forget our time getting to work together on SYTYCD, he became such a light in my life. Someone I’ve looked up to since I was born turned one of my best friends. Twitch always had the best advice. We had SO many laughs, smiles, and even cries together. I know you’re in a better place now but man we are all gonna miss the hell outta you.”
“tWitch was always so kind to me and everyone who worked so hard behind the scenes. tWitch was the guy who played and interacted with his fans in the audience during commercial breaks, and he encouraged all the contestants when the cameras weren’t rolling,” Remini wrote on her own Instagram. “He had such a passion and love for dance and guiding artists and the contestants on the show. tWitch adored his wife, Allison, and their three kids more than anything. He would talk about them all the time with such pride. He had a laugh and smile that lit up the whole room. Rest easy, tWitch; you will leave a big hole in many hearts.”
Scroll on for more tributes to the beloved dancer.
14 Comments
You could see the joy in every movement of his body. He was beyond thrilled just to be there, repping for artists, especially Artists of Color. Over the years you could see the contributions he made to the form. If possible, his scope became more nuanced and more complex. The first time I saw him dance I was confounded by the way such a seemingly large guy could dance as though he’d figured out how to defy gravity. He never overpowered or tried to one-up his dance partners either. And sometimes he had to bend down, real low, to create the necessary symmetry. He always did his bestIf he couldn’t find comfort and understanding, so surrounded by love and support, I don’t know…“ I am very sorry that the darkness found a voice this time and became too loud. ”Fuck right off with that, Degeneres. This is what we say about suicide now. What a pretty way to say “Not my problem.”
That last paragraph, are you criticizing Ellen for saying that? Cuz it wasn’t her, that was a very lengthy twitter eulogy from Kalen Allen.
I didn’t catch that. Thanks. I don’t know Allen but he seems to be making a big meal out of a friend’s suicide.
Why? I’ve had suicidal thoughts and have to beat them down. It is a “voice”. Why is that saying “Not my problem?” How would anyone know what was going on with Twitch if he didn’t tell them (not saying he did or didn’t), but it seems to me one sure fire way to help oneself is to say it out loud so we normalize those thoughts and have others to help us and watch over us so we have everything available to us so the darkness doesn’t take over.
“If he couldn’t find comfort and understanding, so surrounded by love and support, I don’t know…” – for me that sounds like, well too bad, nothing we could do. Maybe you should fuck right off and go check in with your friends who may be suffering.
“I don’t know Allen but he seems to be making a big meal out of a friend’s suicide.”That’s kind of shitty. Are you “making a big meal” out of “one of your heroes” falling? Come on. What happened to having a little empathy? He lost his friend and is trying to honor him publicly because he thinks his friend deserves to be honored publicly. Just end your sentence after “I don’t know Allen,” because you don’t, and you don’t know how this loss is affecting him at all so really what do you think is served by making judgments about it? He spoke in his eulogy about how he has suffered through very dark times himself. Now might be one of them. Let’s care about people instead of judging how they mourn.
Shitty? I’m not interested in your opinion about me or this matter.
That’s fine, but it was shitty whether you’re interested or not. For someone who claims (note, *claims*, not demonstrates) to be interested in the well-being of those at-risk for suicide, you need to take a long, hard look in the mirror at yourself and what you are putting into the world and on to other people. Until you do, all your criticisms about other people’s responsibility for folks’ mental health is nothing but hypocritical hot air.
According to your post history you’re a perpetual malcontent who spends a lot of time here bullying anonymous posters about their opinions. So, no, I don’t GAF what you think about anything. Carry on with your Moral Superiority Olympics though.
And according to your post history you always pull out “according to your post history” as a way to avoid responding to things people say to you when you know that what they said was 100% true. So your nonsense psychoanalysis was not surprising.
Lol, I’ve used that expression twice (yes today) about two times in the past year so calm down, or read further than a few comments.We have nothing else to discuss, but feel free to keep chasing your own tail and do get the last word. You’re welcome. I’m glad I gave you the opportunity to release some bile from your soul.
Then it seems this is exactly the second time you’ve found yourself without adequate response to someone telling you the truth.I’m not chasing my tail. I’m telling you, personally and individually you, that you’re a judgmental asshole who has no business lecturing people on how to treat others, and if you find yourself lacking in support at times you need it most, you can take this conversation as exhibit A why.
I haven’t been affected by a celebrity death this much for a long time. We watched the season of SYTYCD where tWtich was a competitor and he was my favorite then and still one of my favorite dancers now. Not just an amazing dancer but such a bright light everywhere he went. I will be extra sensitive watching people I know, even if they are smiling and happy on the outside, because you never know what is happening under the surface.RIP tWitch.
I suppose one other thing that can be done is for a little extra eye to be given toward those closer to him. Sometimes the one suicide can be a catalyst for another. Folks don’t always realize the black hole of pain that will be left inside their friends and loved ones after they are gone. And once in awhile that pain will be enough to bring someone else out of this life too.
I can’t share this on bloody facebook because I’ll dox myself: There have been so many times the past two years that I’ve been close to the edge myself. When I’m despairing I watch tWitch and his colleagues dance instead. I can’t count how many times they have saved me. But he couldn’t save himself. It’s so hard to see your heroes fall.