5 of our very favorite moments to remember Stephen 'tWitch' Boss from 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show'
tWitch will truly be missed.

5 best moments from Stephen "tWitch" Boss
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
Stephen "tWitch" Boss died by suicide December 13. His wife, Allison Holker Boss released a statement to People saying, "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us. 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."
Anyone that has spent time watching "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" knows who tWitch is. He danced his way into people's hearts on "So You Think You Can Dance" in 2008 before eventually keeping the audience dancing as Ellen's DJ from 2014 until the show ended earlier this year. It was obvious that Boss and Ellen were friends on and off the set.
The laughter always seemed abundant between the two of them and the show wouldn't have been the same without him. Boss became an executive producer on the show during the last few seasons.
Boss also dipped his toe into acting, appearing in the "Step Up" movies, "Magic Mike XXL" and "Hairspray." He also had roles on the small screen, but Ellen is where we got to know his sense of humor and were introduced to his family. There was even an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" where he danced with his son for Father's Day. Over a span of nearly 10 years on the talk show, there were bound to be moments that stuck out. Below are five of Boss' most memorable moments from "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
1. Snake massage
There was the time that there were talks of a "snake massage" and things got awkward pretty quickly. But you know, Ellen didn't let it end at a little embarrassment for Boss, she upped the ante by giving him a special gift card. You have to watch the video to get the full effect of the moment.
2. Dancing to royalty-free music
Boss was a talented dancer and I don't think anyone would dispute that, but once Ellen put his skills to the test by having him dance to royalty-free music. It's the kind of music that often has no words and can feel a bit like clunky elevator music. Yeah, he danced to that and somehow made it look good.
3. Turning into a robot
With the skill that Boss possessed on the dance floor, others dreamt of dancing with him, so when Dytto, a dancer known for her robotic moves, came on the show, she of course had to dance with the famous tWitch. It was a sweet moment that somehow looked choreographed though it was completely freestyle. I will forever be in awe of people that can move their bodies like that.
4. TikTok dance-off
When Derek Hough stopped by the studio, Boss and the "Dancing With the Stars" alum tried their hand at copying dances from TikTok that popped up behind them. The moment it starts, eyebrows raise and hilarity ensues.
5. Ellen's tWitch tribute
There couldn't be a greatest list without including Ellen. This tribute to tWitch hits a little differently now that he's gone, but it goes to show how true their friendship was.
Since the news of his passing, celebrities and fans have been leaving tributes for the late star. Ellen DeGeneres wrote on Instagram, "I'm heartbroken. 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."
One fan, Valerie Nathanson wrote, "Oh no! This is simply shocking news. How tragic. I’m so sorry. The world is left not as good as it was yesterday without him in it."
Another fan, Shannon Diepenbrock wrote, "I can’t. This breaks me down big time. I literally watched Ellen just for him. RIP, Boss, Twitch, you are always going to be missed by so many."
It's clear that Boss left an impression on this world and will truly be missed by all who knew him and those who watched him on television. Most of all, he will be missed by his family.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."