In the brief clip, Lassner is seen speaking to the cast and crew following the taping of the star-studded, emotional finale of the series, in front of Boss.
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of suicide that some readers may find distressing
An unsettling video shows a former executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show standing in front of the late Stephen "tWitch" Boss as the talk show was coming to an end last spring. The producer was heard pleading with the cast to reach out to people and not continue to stay in any kind of pain. “Keep each other close, don’t keep in the pain, talk to someone — anyone,” Andy Lassner, the producer is heard saying as he's urging the gathered employees. In the brief clip, Lassner is seen speaking to the cast and crew following the taping of the star-studded, "emotional" finale of the series, in front of Boss and fellow showrunner Mary Connelly, per NYPost.
Lassner was addressing the crowd after the last episode, which aired in May, and made a suggestion that the long-running show's cancellation may have a significant toll on his coworkers. Lassner is heard saying in the now-ominous tape, "It is a life change and we're all going through it," Lassner continued in the clip, noting that the group "went through it together" and "should be proud" of the work created on the show over its 19-year run. “It’s OK to be sad and to reach out to each other because nobody knows this exact experience other than the people who work here,” he added.
The frightening video, which was uploaded to Instagram on Wednesday by Johanna Fuentes, a former senior communications executive at Warner Bros. Fuentes captioned the video, "Have have been rooting for Twitch through every chapter, from when I first saw him audition on SYTYCD and every moment in between, including our work at WB and Ellen. An immense talent who brought joy to every room he walked into. Am devastated for Allison and their kids, for his friends and his family. He was such a bright light. As Andy said it best as the show wrapped – let’s keep each other close. Don’t keep in the pain, talk to someone. Anyone."
Boss, who died of suicide, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot by a cleaner at the Oak Tree Inn in Encino, California, when he missed his checkout. In a statement, Allison Holker confirmed Stephen's passing. She wrote, "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share that 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."
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CmKTHaiyZm2/
Cover Image Source: Instagram | @jfuentes
