Here's How Stephen 'tWitch' Boss Came Up With The Famous Nickname

The late Stephen "tWitch" Boss came up with his nickname during a pivotal moment in his life, when he started his career as a dancer 20 years ago.

Boss, who passed away Tuesday at age 40, revealed in an interview with AL.com back in 2013 that "tWitch" was appropriated from his old 1992 aqua-green Toyota Paseo car, which he described as "super raggedy" and "would accelerate on its own sometimes." It was the same name he gave his old ride.

"I took (the name) Twitch when I was about 20 years old because that was when I first started dancing, going places, and teaching dance, and a lot of my dance knowledge and a lot of my dance thoughts took place in that car," Boss told the outlet.

He continued, "Driving from place to place. Whether it was to Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Bessemer, Birmingham, [or] whatever. I'd choreograph in the car."

Before becoming Ellen DeGeneres' DJ from 2014 to 2022, the Montgomery native rose to fame after appearing on the fourth season of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" in 2008. At the time, Boss accumulated millions of viewer votes and became one of the most well-known contestants as an "All-Star" on successive seasons despite not securing a win, according to Slate.

Interestingly, the dancer and former "SYTYCD" judge revealed in the same interview that if it weren't for the reality dance competition, he would have "gone into the Navy," adding, "so, everything I'm experiencing right now is because of the show."

Boss' wife of nine years, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed the death of her husband on Wednesday.

"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share [that] my husband Stephen has left us," Allison said in a statement. "Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends, and community above all else, and leading with love and [the] light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans."

She continued, "To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt. I am certain there won't be a day that goes by that we won't honor his memory." She added that she and her three children were asking for "privacy during this difficult time."

"Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you," Allison concluded.

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, the "SYTYCD" alum died of suicide. It was later revealed that it was caused by a gunshot wound to the head and that there were "no signs of foul play," Page Six reported.

He was found in the bathroom of his motel room at Oak Tree Inn in Encino, California, less than a mile away from his Los Angeles home, on Tuesday after West Valley Division officers responded to a 911 call at around 11:20 a.m. local time.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.