Explaining the Opposition to Allison Holker’s Book: What the Twitch Family Said

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Allison Holker has found herself at the center of online controversy as she prepares to release a memoir that discusses her late husband, dancer and DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss.

Holker was married to Boss from 2013 until his death by suicide in 2022.

She says the upcoming book “This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light,” which will be released on February 4, is about her “dance story,” “love story with Stephen” and “the unforeseen grief that followed.” “

“I hope that by sharing my story I can bring comfort to those who have also felt loss and are trying to get through it,” she wrote on the website Instagram.

Much of the controversy surrounding the book centers on comments Holker made while promoting the memoir.

In early January, she made statements about her late husband’s alleged addiction problems was met with criticism from Boss’s mother and several friends of the late DJ.

Read on to learn more about the controversy surrounding Allison Holker’s book and her latest comments about Boss. TODAY.com reached out to Holker and had not received a response by the time of publication.

Who are Allison Holker and Stephen Boss?

Stephen “tWitch” Boss rose to fame as a contestant on “So You Think You Can Dance,” placing second on the show’s fourth season in 2008.

From 2014 until his death in 2022, he regularly appeared as a guest and DJ on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” In 2020, he became an executive producer.

The dancer has also had roles in films and TV shows including “Hairspray,” “Magic Mike XXL,” “Bones” and “Modern Family.”

Boss died by suicide in December 2022 at the age of 40.

“Stephen lit up every room he entered,” Holker shared in his photo statement after his death. “He valued family, friends and community above all else, and his leadership of love and light meant 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.”

Boss and Holker got married in 2013 welcomed two childrenson Maddox (8 years old) and daughter Zaia (5 years old). Boss also adopted Weslie, 16, Holker’s daughter from a previous relationship.

Boss and Holker, along with their children Zaia, Weslie and Maddox, attended the premiere of “Minions: The Rise of Gru” in 2022.Rodin Eckenroth / WireImage

Holker (36) is a dancer who appeared in several seasons of the program “So You Think You Can Dance”. She also served as a professional dancer on “Dancing with the Stars” from seasons 19 to 23, skipping season 22, and performed with celebrity partners Jonathan Bennett, Riker Lynch, Andy Grammer and Babyface.

The dancer has appeared in films and television shows including “High School Musical,” “House,” “Footloose” and “Make Your Move.”

She and Boss also co-hosted the holiday special “Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings” in 2017.

Last year, Holker shared that she had recently found love again in the tech industry President Adam Edmunds.

“Navigating this is a new experience for me and it took me a long time (to feel ready). I didn’t know if I would ever be in that situation again,” she said People in September about her new relationship. “I will say this: I am extremely happy. I feel supported, seen, understood and fully loved. And I’m really grateful for that.”

What did Allison Holker say while promoting her memoir?Holker plans to release a memoir, “This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light,” in which she will talk about her career, her relationship with her late husband, and her grieving process over the past two years. years.

The dancer caused controversy with comments she made during the promotion of the book, including: claiming that her late husband struggled with drugs.

On January 7 Interview with peopleHolker stated that she found a “cornucopia” of drugs hidden in Boss’s closet while she was selecting clothes for his funeral.

“It was very disturbing to me to find out that there was so much going on that I had no idea about,” she said. “It was a really scary moment in my life when I realized that, but it also helped me understand that he was going through so much and was hiding so much, and there must have been a lot of shame in it.”

Holker also revealed that she read her late husband’s journals to gain “a better perspective on where he was in life and what problems he was struggling with.”

“It was really hard to put all the pieces together,” she told People. “Through some of the conversations, even with friends and what was said, reading his journals… you realize he went through a lot as a child, but he never faced it.”

Holker talked about her healing process in: video interview to People, saying she learned “how much strength you actually show when you decide to stand up for yourself and ask for help.”

She said that in the years since her husband’s death, she has focused on helping her children, family and friends process his loss.

“And then I realized, well, wait, I hadn’t taken any time to heal,” she said.

What did Stephen Boss’s family and friends say?

On January 9, two days after Holker’s People interview, Boss’s mother, Connie Boss Alexander, issued a statement on Instagram about “misleading” claims about her deceased son.

She didn’t mention Holker’s name, but she appeared to be referring to recent comments from her son’s widow.

“Recent publications spreading untruths about Stephen have exceeded all boundaries of decency,” Alexander wrote in part. “As his mother, I will not allow these accusations to go unanswered. We will not passively wait for his name and legacy to be tarnished. He doesn’t deserve it and the kids don’t deserve it.

Alexander wrote in the post that she was moved to speak publicly after reading “horrible claims” about Boss and stated that she was “committed to defending his honor.”

Several people who knew Boss shared their support for Alexander in the comments.

“Sending you lots of love,” Andy Lassner, former executive producer of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” commented on her post.

Lassner, who was honest about his past struggles with addiction, he said on his Instagram Story that he was unaware of any problems Boss had with substance abuse. In any case, he said he was focused on honoring the memory of his late friend.

“My heart never stopped aching for his wife, children and family,” Lassner wrote on his Instagram Story. “I’m not here to judge what is good and what is bad, what is true and what is not. But I’m here to tell you that the man I knew for many years was an absolute king and I think he deserves to be remembered that way.

Others who knew Boss also commented on Holker’s comments last week.

Courtney Ann Platt, a dancer who competed with Boss in “So You Think You Can Dance”, also criticized Holker in a lengthy Instagram post, calling Holker’s recent comments about Boss “tacky” and “opportunistic.”

“Whether any of this is true or not is actually irrelevant,” Platt wrote. “This is your way of protecting his children from further humiliation, hurt and despair? Is that what you want them to remember about him?

Comfort Fedoke, who danced with Boss in “So You Think You Can Dance”, also criticized Holker in an Instagram postasking why Holker didn’t address the reports about Boss’s alleged addiction problems privately within the family “instead of publishing it all in a magazine.”

“Stephen is not here to defend himself and yet his name continues to be dragged through the mud,” she wrote.

Kelly Gibson, a dancer who also appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” commented in a People Instagram post featuring Holker on January 8.

“The whole thing made me sad. He’s gone. Why destroy this name?” she wrote.

After Holker responded to her comment by saying she was “just trying to help people feel safe to ask for help and support,” Gibson apologized for her initial remarks.

“This is very difficult to hear and I imagine it is not easy to go through what you went through,” Gibson wrote. “There will be a lot of hate thrown your way, but it’s not up to me to judge the connection of this difficult situation. It’s just very hard to digest. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling, so I’m sorry if I’m jumping to conclusions.

How did Allison Holker react to this reaction?

In response to the criticism, Holker addressed her followers on her Instagram Story on January 9.

Allison Holker has addressed her Instagram followers following criticism of her recent comments about Boss.Allison Holker / Instagram

“I want to make it clear to Stephen’s fans and our family and friends that my sole intention in writing this book is to share my own story, as well as part of my life with Stephen, to help other people,” she began her message. “Like you, I never really knew what happened, and even as I try to put the pieces together, I never will.”

“If you choose to read this book, I hope you will understand that my intention is to celebrate the love and life I shared with Stephen and our three beautiful children, as well as the more complex aspects of our lives,” she continued.

She also said she had “spoken in detail” with a number of mental health organizations, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Defensive Linea nonprofit whose mission is to “end the youth suicide epidemic, especially young people of color, by changing the way we communicate and connect about mental health.”

Holker said all proceeds from her upcoming memoir will be donated to the foundation she started in Boss’s honor, Move With Kindness.

“I believe that if Stephen had a choice, he would choose to tell his story if it meant saving even one life,” she wrote.