'Stop assuming': Carson Daly reflects on Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' death, urges people to check on loved ones
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Carson Daly spoke out on the value of checking in and having genuine conversations with your loved ones while reflecting on the life of Stephen "tWitch" Boss, who died by suicide on December 13 at the age of 40. "This one's really hard to wrap your head around because so many people who were close to tWitch are trying to figure out: What was it? What happened?" the co-host asked on the latest episode on 'The Today Show'.
"I think people have to just stop assuming that when you see people on television, when you see them on social media, that they're OK," Daly continued. "Especially with the dancing — dancing is such a symbol of freedom and happiness and joy. We have to stop assuming, he said. Daly singled out social media websites which can be especially harmful, "Everybody’s propping up the best part of themselves, and it’s taking away from real conversations happening," he added.
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Boss, a father of three, first gained notoriety as a participant on MTV's 'The Wade Robson Project' before finishing in second place on 'Star Search'. Later, in 2008, he participated in 'So You Think You Can Dance', finishing season 4 as runner-up after putting on several standout routines. He appeared in later seasons as an all-star dancer and even served as a judge when the show came back in 2022. In 2014, tWitch appeared on the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' as a guest DJ before becoming a regular visitor and eventually serving as co-executive producer.
"I’m heartbroken," Ellen DeGeneres said in an Instagram post. "tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him," he added. A number of prominent celebrities inlcuding Channing Tatum, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lopez, Dwayne Johnson and others paid tribute to the late star on social media.
Daly remarked that Boss had a "50,000 watt smile" during their joint hosting of NBC's 'New Year's Eve 2021'. "But what we do know about mental health, is that from the onset of the first symptom of mental health, the time that elapses before the average person who seeks any form of help or treatment is 11 years," he said. "It tells us that people are suffering in silence," Carson added.
The non-profit organization Black Men Heal and Doug Reed and Reggie Howard, who work for the group, also received a shout-out from Daly, as reported by Today. In a situation like this, they are "in the trenches every day for culturally appropriate information," Daly said. "Boy, will (tWitch) be missed," he added.
Hoda Kotb, another co-anchor of Today, recalled having Boss on the program earlier this year where he revealed his desire to launch his own talk show. "He said, 'Do you think I can do it?' This was a person with dreams and hopes and a lot of things, and that was just in July," Kotb said. "So you don't know. You really don't know," she added.
Boss was married to Allison Holker, a contestant on 'So You Think You Can Dance', for nine years. They have three children together. "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," Holker said in a statement to NBC News. "He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans. To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,' she added.