Ellen DeGeneres Returns To The Spotlight For Tragic Tribute
Ellen DeGeneres posted a beautiful tribute to Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, asking everyone to "love one another."
Ellen DeGeneres shared an emotional video on Twitter, memorializing her friend and colleague Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss who tragically passed away earlier this month. In the tribute, DeGeneres pleads for everyone to “love each other and let people know we’re there for them.” This is a rare recent appearance for the former daytime television star, who has been mostly quiet since her comedy talk show ended its 19-season run this past May.
tWitch died of suicide at the age of 40 on December 13, prompting an outpouring of love and support from fans and friends alike online, including the many videos from Ellen DeGeneres.
Through more than a decade of friendship, Ellen DeGeneres and tWitch worked alongside one another, producing television segments that made millions of people across the nation laugh and smile, brightening the lives of all who watched. Obviously, his passing should make it clear that no amount of money, fame, or projected happiness is enough to make someone immune to mental health issues. Since his untimely death, DeGeneres has taken to Twitter every day to share clips of some of her fondest on-screen memories the two shared, reflecting on what the partnership meant to her throughout her time on the air, and encouraging others to be grateful for the friends and family in their lives.
Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss was a choreographer, dancer, and DJ who joined the Ellen show in 2014, staying on through the final run of the show this year, and eventually becoming an executive producer in 2020. He also held a long-term position as a dancer turned judge on the hit FOX reality television show So You Think You Can Dance. Before his time with Ellen DeGeneres, tWitch had career-defining success on other programs such as Star Search in 2003 and performed as a dancer in both Blades of Glory and Hairspray in 2007.
tWitch found further career successes by producing an athleisure clothing collection in partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods and hosting the Disney+ docuseries Disney’s Fairytale Weddings alongside his wife, Allison Holker.
Ellen DeGeneres saw some bad press in the last several years after whistleblowers uncovered an apparent pervasive culture of abuse and harassment behind the scenes at her daytime program, causing the tide of public opinion to largely turn on the well-known host. Since then, DeGeneres has made promises to both change her behavior as well as be more vigilant as a showrunner while monitoring the behavior of others under her guidance. By all accounts, Ellen DeGeneres had a kind and loving relationship with tWitch, obviously leaving her devastated by the news of his untimely passing.
Ellen DeGeneres made it clear in her video memorializing tWitch that we should all be more aware of the feelings of those around us and encouraged her fans and viewers to check in on their friends, especially during the holidays when depression and anxiety can become worsened for many people. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, help is available. The suicide hotline can be reached 24 hours by simply dialing 988 on your cell phone to receive support.
