The tragic death of DJ Stephen "tWitch" Boss left his former boss and longtime friend,
Ellen DeGeneres, grief-stricken and reeling. Here's the inside
story of what their relationship was really like.
After nearly two decades and 19 seasons, The Ellen DeGeneres Show came to an end in May of
2022. The talk show, which premiered in 2003, has seen DeGeneres interview countless actors,
musicians, and other public figures. In addition to her hilarious interviews, DeGeneres was known
for her funny dance moves and often danced to the stage at the start of her show. Assisting
DeGeneres in her crowd-rousing dance breaks was resident DJ, Stephen "tWitch" Boss.
Boss joined the popular NBC talk show in 2014 as the show's DJ, before being promoted to
executive producer in 2020. However, long before the DJ joined the daytime talk show,
he made a name for himself as a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance. During Boss' run on
the dance competition series, DeGeneres joined him as his guest dance partner for the finale.
It's clear that DeGeneres and Boss built a solid relationship. Despite their bond being
tested over the years, they always supported each other. Tragically,
Stephen 'tWitch' Boss died by suicide on December 14, 2022,
at 40 years old. Here's a look inside Boss' relationship with his boss, DeGeneres.
In 2020, Ellen DeGeneres' daytime program was accused of fostering a toxic work environment.
Following the flurry of accusations,
Stephen "tWitch" Boss, spoke out in support of Degeneres, telling Us Weekly:
Boss would remain with The Ellen DeGeneres Show through the controversial period, solidifying
his loyalty to the comedian. After eight years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, there's no question that
Ellen DeGeneres and DJ-turned-executive producer, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, were close. Boss even
hosted when DeGeneres was away. In addition to moderating games and other fun bits on the show,
Boss also joined DeGeneres as the announcer and MC for her NBC game show Ellen's Game of Games.
And if there was still any doubt that the pair have a strong friendship,
DeGeneres has openly gushed over her longtime pal,
calling him her favorite addition to her show. DeGeneres asked the DJ on her daytime show:
In 2020, the DJ spoke with E! News about working for the comedian and how he always
felt like he was "experiencing the love" at work. He told the outlet:
"We sent this show off in the right way. We really did."
To go a step further, Boss also told E! News that he felt "blessed" to be a part of the
show "on a daily basis." The dancer was also supportive of DeGeneres when she made the tough
decision to end her show, even though it left him without one of his steady jobs. He told E! News:
Boss also pointed out that DeGeneres "employed thousands and thousands and thousands of people"
thanks to the show, which is something to be proud of. In the wake of Boss' death,
his wife released a statement, reading in part,