RIP Stephen "tWitch" Boss
December 14, 2022 9:38 AM Subscribe
Stephen "tWitch" Boss has died at age 40. Boss first gained notoriety as a runner-up on the 2008 season of So You Think You Can Dance - and later an All-Star on the show - but since 2014 has been best known as the sidekick and DJ on Ellen DeGeneres' daytime show. (CW: Suicide)
tWitch is survived by his wife Alison Holker (who he met on So You Think You Can Dance) and three children.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988 in the United States. The holidays are difficult for a lot of people, and one never knows what another is going through.
tWitch is survived by his wife Alison Holker (who he met on So You Think You Can Dance) and three children.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988 in the United States. The holidays are difficult for a lot of people, and one never knows what another is going through.
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posted by Hairy Lobster at 9:53 AM on December 14, 2022
posted by Hairy Lobster at 9:53 AM on December 14, 2022
Oh no. He was the reason SYTYCD was must-watch TV that summer. His videos with his wife were always so much fun.
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posted by dywypi at 10:04 AM on December 14, 2022 [7 favorites]
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posted by dywypi at 10:04 AM on December 14, 2022 [7 favorites]
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posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:06 AM on December 14, 2022
posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:06 AM on December 14, 2022
I was really shocked to hear this. I loved his season on SYTYCD (when he was a contestant). He seemed to be one of those people that just exuded warmth. It's so sad to think about how dark things must have been/have gotten for him.
posted by bearette at 10:23 AM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by bearette at 10:23 AM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was so shocked and sad to see this. I'd never seen him on Ellen's show but tWitch was by far my favorite dancer in many, many years of watching SYTYCD - so very talented, so creative, so exuberant. And it seemed like he was such a generous mentor and judge too. My heart hurts for his wife and his young kids, and for him.
A few years ago I was on a flight with him and almost went up to say how much I loved his dancing on the show, but decided not to bother him, figuring he probably got told that all the time. I hope he knew how much joy he brought to so many people.
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posted by Synesthesia at 10:25 AM on December 14, 2022 [5 favorites]
A few years ago I was on a flight with him and almost went up to say how much I loved his dancing on the show, but decided not to bother him, figuring he probably got told that all the time. I hope he knew how much joy he brought to so many people.
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posted by Synesthesia at 10:25 AM on December 14, 2022 [5 favorites]
His whimsical auditions for SYTYCD were the best!
posted by bearette at 10:28 AM on December 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by bearette at 10:28 AM on December 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh no :( He was always one of my favorite SYTYCD performers, he just exuded such joy as a performer.
posted by yasaman at 10:40 AM on December 14, 2022
posted by yasaman at 10:40 AM on December 14, 2022
Oh no no no. He lit up the stage. He had speed, strength and grace like no other. He made it look easy, and he seemed to be having so much fun while dancing
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posted by scruss at 10:50 AM on December 14, 2022 [4 favorites]
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posted by scruss at 10:50 AM on December 14, 2022 [4 favorites]
oh my gosh, what terrible news. I've been a big fan of sytycd for ages, and have even recently watched some of the cute Youtube videos he made with his wife. They always seemed like the most wonderful of people, and so talented. I've watched that routine he did with Alex the ballet dancer dozens of times (the "All Star" link in the main post). This is a shocker. So young.
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posted by Glinn at 10:56 AM on December 14, 2022
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posted by Glinn at 10:56 AM on December 14, 2022
I loved him and loved that he and Allison met on the show. I am so sorry for her, the kids and his friends/family. Just so sad. His smile was brilliant.
posted by victoriab at 11:16 AM on December 14, 2022
posted by victoriab at 11:16 AM on December 14, 2022
So terribly sad.
posted by obfuscation at 11:44 AM on December 14, 2022
posted by obfuscation at 11:44 AM on December 14, 2022
This hit me a lot harder than I would have thought. So You Think You Can Dance in its heyday was an amazing project, giving a platform to some amazing art and to people (dancers) who work so hard from such a young age but don't usually get the limelight like that unless they're also singers/actors. tWitch was part of that heyday and brought so much joy, style, and panache to everything he did. Make sure you watch the hip-hop routine linked above (under "all-star") - the joy and energy and skill is just unreal.
posted by lunasol at 12:18 PM on December 14, 2022 [12 favorites]
posted by lunasol at 12:18 PM on December 14, 2022 [12 favorites]
I feel exactly like lunasol - I was a big fan of the show back in its day and he was such a bright light as part of it. I didn't really think of him beyond being pleased that he seemed to be firmly established post-show in a career, but hearing this news was a big shock. He had such a warm smile.
posted by PussKillian at 12:31 PM on December 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by PussKillian at 12:31 PM on December 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by angelchrys at 12:42 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by angelchrys at 12:42 PM on December 14, 2022
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Absolutely shocked by this news. He seemed like an incredible person, kind on top of immensely talented.
posted by It Was Capitalism All Along at 12:56 PM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
Absolutely shocked by this news. He seemed like an incredible person, kind on top of immensely talented.
posted by It Was Capitalism All Along at 12:56 PM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
Agree with everyone. I haven't followed him in years, but when he came to fame and then fell in love with his wife on TV, he was magnetic and infectious as dancer, judge and "personality". We're in the same age bracket and I guess it's always so so hard to remember the battles people are fighting, or not, in public are different than the the battles they are or are not fighting in private, and THOSE are different than the ones they're fighting in their heads.
I never really comment in these kinds of threads, and I'm not sure why this one made me take one of those deep inhales. I don't know this guy or really follow his career at all. But wow, wind knocked out of me. For him, his wife and extended family and especially his kids.
posted by atomicstone at 1:06 PM on December 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
I never really comment in these kinds of threads, and I'm not sure why this one made me take one of those deep inhales. I don't know this guy or really follow his career at all. But wow, wind knocked out of me. For him, his wife and extended family and especially his kids.
posted by atomicstone at 1:06 PM on December 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
We needed him.
We need you. I'm so sorry if people are ignoring you right now.
Ugh I loved him. He's so brilliant, and seeing that brilliance in action makes life good.
posted by amtho at 1:10 PM on December 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
We need you. I'm so sorry if people are ignoring you right now.
Ugh I loved him. He's so brilliant, and seeing that brilliance in action makes life good.
posted by amtho at 1:10 PM on December 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
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posted by Laura in Canada at 2:16 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by Laura in Canada at 2:16 PM on December 14, 2022
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posted by sleepingwithcats at 2:40 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by sleepingwithcats at 2:40 PM on December 14, 2022
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posted by a fish out of water at 2:59 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by a fish out of water at 2:59 PM on December 14, 2022
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 3:49 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by JoeXIII007 at 3:49 PM on December 14, 2022
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posted by mochapickle at 3:50 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by mochapickle at 3:50 PM on December 14, 2022
Never saw him dance, only as Ellen's pal -- and he was delightful there.
Goddamn suicide.
posted by wenestvedt at 4:36 PM on December 14, 2022
Goddamn suicide.
posted by wenestvedt at 4:36 PM on December 14, 2022
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Hok was the reason I started watching SYTYCD and tWitch was one of the main reasons I got hooked (Season 4, "for real, for real"). I devotedly watched through until season 12. He, and his wife Alison, were instrumental in the success of the All Stars format too.
I'm stunned and so sad. I have rewatched so many of his routines over the years. He brought so much joy and humour, and seeing him stretch his range in different styles was really something.
He will be missed.
posted by mephisjo at 5:47 PM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
Hok was the reason I started watching SYTYCD and tWitch was one of the main reasons I got hooked (Season 4, "for real, for real"). I devotedly watched through until season 12. He, and his wife Alison, were instrumental in the success of the All Stars format too.
I'm stunned and so sad. I have rewatched so many of his routines over the years. He brought so much joy and humour, and seeing him stretch his range in different styles was really something.
He will be missed.
posted by mephisjo at 5:47 PM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by brachiopod at 5:48 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by brachiopod at 5:48 PM on December 14, 2022
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posted by bunnysquirrel at 8:58 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by bunnysquirrel at 8:58 PM on December 14, 2022
So much fun, and the setup with Comfort and tWitch "both liking to play to the crowd" - Forever.
(apologies that the song happens to be by Chris Brown)
Higher quality dance routine only.
posted by mephisjo at 10:27 PM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
(apologies that the song happens to be by Chris Brown)
Higher quality dance routine only.
posted by mephisjo at 10:27 PM on December 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:49 PM on December 14, 2022
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:49 PM on December 14, 2022
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tWitch was always one of my favorite SYTYCD performers. I have two kids who are dancers and we watched the show religiously when they were younger. tWitch brought a real joy and personality to his performances - the Busta Rhymes routine in the "2008 season" link above remains one of my favorites they ever did on the show.
On a side note, I realized that the main CNN link above doesn't reference suicide. I don't want to spread unsubstantiated news, but other outlets are reporting that suicide was confirmed by a representive. If that turns out to be wrong, I'll ask the mods to fix the post.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 9:49 AM on December 14, 2022 [6 favorites]