I know what happened. Thank God for He was 26. I know that forgiveness is difficult. Despite apologizing on air and realizing his error, Varner was unanimously eliminated without a formal vote and was condemned after the episode aired for outing Smith and was fired from his job as a real estate agent as a result of the controversy. each episode passed. 1. Shirin Oskooi became the first castaway of Middle Eastern descent to play on Survivor when she was cast on season 30, Worlds Apart: White Collar vs Blue Collar vs No Collar. She was so popular with fans that they voted her in as a returning player the very next season for Survivor: Cambodia Second Chance. I have been through, I dont know how much therapy. more and more, getting stronger every time. Jeff Varner was raised on a tobacco farm in Greensboro, North Carolina. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullshit. videos along the way. Survivor Second Chance Retrospective: Jeff Varner. Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. will always call motives into question. The death of the Varner everyone loved and enjoyed was days away, this planet in shame. If he wants to take swings at me, Im the one to hand him the bat. [5] It was revealed that Varner had been part of a pre-game alliance prior to the start of filming, with three other players: Terry Deitz and Shane Powers of Survivor: Panama, and Kelly Wiglesworth of Survivor: Borneo. Varner, a former local news anchor who has competed three times on Survivor, says he's talking to other real estate firms and preparing to bring his former clients "with me to my new firm." Since. He has spoken publicly about. By signing up, you agree to our it was over I felt that suit of shame Id worn for more than four months begin More from Entertainment Tonight: http://bit.ly/1xTQtvw Varner outed Smith as transgender on Wednesday night's episode of 'Survivor: Game Changers,' which fi. Id And there were still many nights I didnt I stood up proud that Ive walked through a My closest friends range from across a bunch of different seasons and include non-players who are also a formative part of the experience. I have had several reach out [and] Im confident Ill find a better home., FROM COINAGE: Outed as Transgender on Reality TV: Survivors Zeke Smith. genre. international television. Suddenly my real estate license was inactive and my current clients [were] left in the dark. I Because Keith Famie and Tina Wesson knew this, and Tina had no votes against her before while Keith had several of them (mostly from Jerri Manthey and her allies), Keith's request to Tina when they had both lasted for hours in the Immunity challenge and were the last two players standing (phrased as "I need this") led to Tina ending her run so that Keith was safe, and giving Kucha no one to vote for who had more votes than Varner: Jeff had two but knew only of one, while Colby had zero. It robs a strong, courageous person of their power and protection and opens them up to discrimination and danger. Survivor: 10 Times Jeff Probst Got Angry At Contestants - ScreenRant When he was on 2017s Survivor: Game Changes he outed fellow contestant Zeke Smith as transgender in an attempt to save himself at tribal council. It is a mess of my own making over our waves of confliction and confusion. The slow methodic tick, tock, tick, tock of an aqua blue alarm clock cuts According to News & Record Greensboro, Varner was fired from his job the day after the episode aired in which Varner attempted to save himself from being eliminated by painting Smith as deceitful. His now-former employer, Allen Tate Realtors, said the 50-year-old was in the middle of a news story that we dont want anything to do with.. Jeff Varner Reacts to Being Fired After Outing Castmate She doesnt stay in touch with very many people from the show, and she even stopped being friends with someone whom she says did one of the cruelest things ever done to another contestant in the shows now multi-decade history.. I stalled in complete The clearest thing for me is the grip my partner had on me, wrapped For those who share that with me, this is my story. We have to acknowledge that humanity and their dignity and lift up their voices and never reduce them to the disgusting things all these bigots do and all these people who just dont know and are acting out of fear. Brandon Hantz, who infamously dumped his Caramoan tribes food supply on the show, apologized for his behavior in a now-offline YouTube video in February 2020. FormerSurvivorplayer Jeff Varner aired his grievances with CBS on social media on Wednesday after the network announced that the reunion show forSurvivor: Island of the Idolswill be pre-taped for the first time in the series history. That's what Jeff Varner kept telling us when we spoke with him in Fiji before the start of Survivor: Game Changers. was ill-prepared for that conversation, but drawn to it as if a force greater Everyone - including Jeff Probst - attacked Jeff for his highly insensitive and . MORE: Jeff Varner Tearfully Admits to Being in Therapy Since Outing Zeke Smith on 'Survivor'. Varner lost his job from Allen Tate Realtors after he outed Zeke Smith as transgender during an episode of Survivor: Game Changers, but a year later, he told the News & Record that hed gotten a job as a realtor with Keller Williams Realty. It was also reported that Spilo is banned from attending the reunion show. Jeff Varner, the Survivor contestant who outed a transgender contestant on the most recent episode of the competition series, says he was blindsided when he was fired from his new job last week . strength and restoring my faith this would all be OK. Shame is powerful. I have apologized to him - weve spoken several times on the phone. transgender by Jeff Varner in a desperate attempt to save himself I can only profusely apologize. We dont need to vote, host Jeff Probst said during the April 2017 episode. #Survivor.. It was revealed on the Survivor: Australia DVD, in the special commentary section, that it was Kimmi Kappenberg that inadvertently gave away the vote he had against him during the Episode Two Reward Challenge. Jeff Varner - Pleasanton, California, United States | Professional I had five months before this painful had come to learn our society, blindly trudging through its shame, would rise GREENSBORO Jeff Varner intentionally stayed away from social media on Thursday, a day after he outed a fellow "Survivor" castmate as transgender before millions of viewers. Kroger's new e-commerce fulfillment center is now open and its employees have started making . Probst didnt even have them go off and vote in secret. As a result, Varner began to panic and decided to turn on one of his own allies, ultimately voting with the majority to send Law home on Day Nine. fears. Jeff Varner Reacts to Being Fired After Outing Fellow Survivor - Yahoo! it. real journey had just begun. I have met with and spoken to several LGBT organizations - Ive joined the board of a couple of them this has changed me drastically.. Those people she does stay in touch with include Tai Trang, Stephen Fishbach, and Reiman Spencer Bledsoe. This producer manipulation is 100% bull st. I couldnt breathe. We Processing all this has been my most intimate struggle. I know that he has a lot of people in his ear. She was so . that these guys don't even understand," Jeff said, looking at Zeke. & 2023 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. Entertainment Weeklyreported the decision was made due to the sensitive subject matter and security concerns. What just happened on Survivor tonight is 100% bull shit. This is about Zeke, Varner said. And happened after I sat down is still a blur. After an informal public vote, Jeff Probst snuffed Jeff Varner's torch, ending the Season 2 and Season 31 veteran's third (and presumably final) stint on Survivor. Then the MLS association emails to say, Youve been terminated. I didnt even find out from my company, he said. The show was against me. Jeff Varner - IMDb suffering and the demands for my death. worthy of love. Its a notion I would struggle with for months. Varner, 51, is a former news anchor for CBS and Fox affiliates who appeared on three seasons of "Survivor." Now he works as a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty. talk about what had happened without breaking down. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. The three-time Survivor contestant, who first appeared during season two in 2001, told Entertainment Tonight that he was completely blindsided by his firing. I forgive him for that. saw their faces contorted with pain. Varner and Diaz-Twine remained on Nuku after the second tribe switch, but were excluded from the alliance of new members Ozzy Lusth, Andrea Boehlke, Tai Trang, Sarah Lacina and Zeke Smith. put yourself in someone elses shoes. According to News & Record Greensboro, Varner was fired from his job the day after the episode aired in which Varner attempted to save himself from being eliminated by painting Smith as deceitful. His now-former employer, Allen Tate Realtors, said the 50-year-old was in the middle of a news story that we dont want anything to do with.. Survivor Game Changers: Jeff Varner Describes His 'Horrible' Final Act Brandon's notorious uncle, who appeared in three American Survivor seasons and one in Australia, now hosts The Russell Hantz Show on YouTube. He seemed to understand the situation I wasnt even given the chance to explain or right the wrong, Varner said. This season of Survivor, dubbed Game Changers for its 34th installment, had been filmed 10 months ago in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji though Varner couldnt discuss what happened until the episodes airing. The openly gay North Carolina native, who previously worked as news anchor for CBS and Fox affiliates, said he looked forward to working for a firm that would support him during hard times. The I dont see or talk to most of these people nearly often enough, but they all have my heart, said Oskooi. disapproving expressions and their shame. During that time, he said hes done a lot of growing. Im not afraid to share my truth. I know that watching this last night was traumatic not only for me and my family I can only imagine what this was like for him and his friends and everybody who loves him., I hurt him, Varner continued. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. While Dans dismissal has validated the concerns that I raised from the beginning of this season, I wish that no one else had to be subjected to this type of behavior,she tweeted on Wednesday. He was a weekend anchor and reporter at FOX 8 WGHP in High Point, North Carolina. Seeds cant take hold and grow without the rain. In this and other calls wed have over the The message should be clear that hate will always lose.. That prepared reunion is cowardice. Now that I can officially talk about it, let the healing begin." . spoke in the truth Id worked so hard since Fiji to embrace and own. ET) on CBS. I made every excuse in the book to wait another 30 minutes. Week after week, self-esteem. I was not OK. For days, I sat in my shame, finding it very difficult to In one recent 13-minute video, he criticized "the new. Spartanburg's current school board representation unfair, groups say in View Jeff Varner's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. I dissected all those emotions every week Jeffrey Keith Varner (born April 16, 1966)[1] is a former American real estate agent and television personality, a news anchor and reporter, a former entertainment reporter, and a veteran contestant on three seasons of the CBS reality television series, Survivor: The Australian Outback, Survivor: Cambodia, and Survivor: Game Changers. first steps toward true healing. I know that watching this last night was traumatic not only for me and my family I can only imagine what this was like for him and his friends and everybody who loves him., I hurt him, Varner continued. With the pressure on, which castaways will prove cutthroat and join the ranks of the infamous players below? doubt, fear, anxiety and preoccupation with Zeke, his friends and family and unconditionally love publicly beaten into a pulp, dared to even grunt or wince. Zeke and I did The castaways colored in the books and signed their autographs in it, and after the show, he sold the pictures on eBay to raise money for charities.[4]. As soon as he did that, the Tribal Council came to a screeching halt. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullsht, he wrote. They love Dan. He went on to describe Zeke as deceptive and then turned to him in front of the council and asked, Why havent you told anyone here youre transgender?, His tactic backfired and led to his removal immediately. As they worked to delete the negative things from their perspective. Tribal Council S34E06 (1 of 4) Survivor: Game Changers, Jeff Varner outs Zeke, Please support me by installing my Puzzles from Survivor app: apps.apple.com/us/app/puzzle-cluster/id1460284314 Alliance Tracker for Survivor app: apps.apple.com/us/app/alliance-tracker-for-survivor/id1486051580 #Survivor #SuvivorSuperFan #SurvivorGeek Twitter: twitter.com/rrTenz survivor.fandom.com/wiki/What_Happened_on_Exile,_Stays_on_Exile Day 18 I don't want to lose Ozzy, because the way I've set it up is to have bigger threats out there than myself. And, asSurvivorfans know, shortly after I spoke up on camera, I was voted off the show, she continued. MORE: Inside Jeff Varner's Decision to Out Zeke Smith at Tribal Council and What Viewers Didn't See on TV. The best thing to do is to pay off those mortgages and be secure., Survivor, 2-Hour Season 42 Premiere, Wednesday, March 9, 8/7c, CBS. Not only was it extremely inappropriate, but Jeff used it as an example of Zeke being a "deceitful" person. About to climb, Posted by Jeff Varner onWednesday, December 11, 2019. Varner has been a fill-in host for Live with Regis and Kelly and also worked for many years as morning anchor at WWMT Channel 3 in Kalamazoo, MI before being promoted to main anchor. have the right to be forgiven. Smith, who is still in the game, told PEOPLE he was shell-shocked by Varners decision and struggles with forgiving him. I have so much to say and am fuming right now. I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. Survivors host Probst toldEntertainment Weeklythat he could not comment about Spilos removal or any details out of respect for privacy and confidentiality. The host did share that Spilo was not happy about the decision, but latercalmed down and was actually very respectful about it. Jeff Varner - REALTOR / Broker - Keller Williams Realty, Inc. - LinkedIn A Twitter user responded to Varners tweet saying he shouldnt get to weigh in on the controversy, and Varner went off once again about the scandal. What Zeke Smith, Jeff Varner and Jeff Probst Are Saying Now After Transgender Outing. months. Many Jeff Varner: "I'm Profoundly Sorry" - Survivor 34 Exit Interview A post shared by Jonny Fairplay (@jonnyfairplay). I am profoundly sorry. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. 2. I was beginning to understand just how powerful shame really is. most hope was tweeting about me in not-so-kind terms. MORE: Jeff Varner 'Devastated' to Be Fired From Job After Outing 'Survivor' Contestant Zeke Smith. If he wants to take swings at me, Im the one to hand him the bat. I have no choice but to move forward. One of the authors whod offered me the owned it from the start. On the seventh episode of CBS'Survivor: Game Changers, which aired With the shows therapist, with a local therapist. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. The unprecedented decision will mark the first time in Survivor's near . Powered by. Youre saying by him not revealing it that hes capable of deception. The most recentSurvivorcontroversy, which resulted in the changes being made to the live reunion show, began when contestant Kellee Kim told Spilo that his touching is an invasion of her privacy during the first day of the show. . It would sit I have had several reach out [and] Im confident Ill find a better home., FROM COINAGE: Outed as Transgender on Reality TV: Survivors Zeke Smith. knew the world was attacking back, and likely in ways much worse than I had I recklessly revealed something I mistakenly believed everyone already knew. Should I sit down, shut up and suffer in silence? It affects every aspect of our lives, and we all live with it. As for Varner, not only was he unanimously voted off of "Survivor" that fateful night at Tribal Council, but after the episode aired, he lost his job at a North Carolina real estate agency.. For this entire situation to ultimately make sense, Until I die, I am that gay guy who outed that trans guy on that changed everything. I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. All of the other tribemates disregarded their alliances for the evening to admonish Varner and support Smith. sight, had to begin with me. preventing you from growth. For the first time in 39 seasons, Survivors reunion will be pretaped four hours before it airs on Wednesday, December 18, Entertainment Weekly reports, due to the sensitive material of this season and security concerns. Jeff Varner hit the beach of Survivor: Cambodia Second Chancerunning at a. But I hope to live in a world where a man can not only make mistakes, but learn from them and grow to be better, to do better. and block those who persisted in spreading it, I saw the pain in their faces. Zeke Smith Reflects On How Jeff Probst & 'Survivor' Handled His This season of Survivor, dubbed Game Changers for its 34th installment, had been filmed 10 months ago in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji - though Varner couldnt discuss what happened until the episodes airing. Empathy. At Mana's second Tribal Council, he joined the majority in voting out Survivor: Cagayan winner Tony Vlachos. Part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Powered by WordPress VIP. [9] During his exit interview, he stated that no one on Survivor should do what he did. It was over. Smith explained that he "was checked out for about 45 minutes to an hour" after Jeff outed him. With the shows therapist, with a local therapist. Many were in tears as the Tribal Council played out, and even Jeff Probst came to Smith's defense. These 20 castaways were voted by the fans to return to Survivor for another chance to play the game and win the million dollar prize on the new season of Survivor: Cambodia: Second Chance. Everyone was horrified at what he did Andrea Boehlke started crying, Tai Trang and Debbie Wanner started yelling at Varner, and even Jeff Probst was visibly upset at what had happened. [citation needed], Varner began his career in communications as a public relations assistant and corporate communications manager for Citicorp in New York City. As Zeke went back into a game with It was here that he became one of the show's most infamous villains, intentionally outing Zeke Smith as a transgender man in a vein attempt to prove his "duplicity" (the argument being that Zeke not being publicly out makes him a duplicitous person). #Survivor.. No pre-taped reunion will hide it. In the end, Probst asked the rest of the tribe if they are set on voting out Varner, and they said yes, thus sending him out of the game without the usual written-vote style of elimination. The first million that I won with Survivor [from Cagayan], I invested in a lot of properties, he said. [I warned the company that headlines might be coming], but apparently not the people who needed to hear it.. wouldve done in my real life. many a day in that eucalyptus-scented room full of tick tocks reviving my I told my transgender friends, I couldnt even imagine what was happening in his innermost thoughts and Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. And it was a tough watch. [7] After their tribe lost again on Day 11, Varner was eliminated in a unanimous vote, placing 17th in the overall competition. He played right defense for a team in the local youth hockey league, and earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do at the age of 15. 45. When were I know what happened that got him removed and Im telling you, 100% horse st. At Tribal Council, Varner asked Smith, "Why haven't you told anyone you're transgender? Cant have that on a live mic. View Jake Varner's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. I have been through, I dont know how much therapy. As Im spending hours doing press [on Thursday], I discover I cant access my email. There were no poles, there was no peanut butter, and there was no time to waste. never defend what happened on that island. through each second as Dr. Whitney Akers, a petite young LGBT therapist stares All Rights Reserved. didnt choose. 10 Most Notorious Survivor Villains: Where Are They Now? - ScreenRant What I am not a bigot. What Not only was Jeff that has neither excuse nor defense. anticipated. "Survivor" contestant Jeff Varner reacted to Dan Spilo's departure on Wednesday, claiming that he does not believe the allegations mounting against his co-star. View Jeff Varner's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. No one is going to beat me up worse than I have myself.. Do you not see that? said Probst. [I warned the company that headlines might be coming], but apparently not the people who needed to hear it.. strong scent, not quite thick enough to slice through the silence surrounding He was initially placed on the Mana tribe. Tom Varner est aujourd'hui l'un des cornistes de jazz les plus connus. EXCLUSIVE: Jeff Varner Reveals He's Been in Therapy Since - YouTube And that forgiveness, though it was nowhere in than me knew it was what I needed. fear of coming back together with the man whod lived rent-free in my head and Contempt is one of those. Ive ever read, graphic death threats and anonymously written hopes I die a slow I spent the shows psychologist. I also remember leaving, walking down a lonely spotlit path which will see Jeff reunited with Zeke, the former contestant writes in an No pre-taped reunion will hide it. I know what happened that got him removed and Im telling you, 100% horse st. Tears in eyes. happening. I decided to avoid social media for the next two weeks, as I Its so painful to see what is happening with this show. worthless, I grew more convinced we were building to a version of me no one However, he revealed at the reunion that he got hired at a new real estate agency. What happened in his previous season: Jeff Varner was a new school style player on a very old school season. I cant start a new chapter by rereading told my friends and family what I had done. Dave Quinn is an Editor for PEOPLE, working across a number of verticals including the Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams. think we both agree, its rained enough. When she isn't reporting on the latest celeb buzz, she is filling up her online shopping cart without checking out. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first, In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies. Ive blocked most of it out and have Bankston died in a train derailment in June 2014, according to The Hollywood Reporter. I felt bolts of anger and contempt hit exactly where they were If we let it, our pain will night firmly seared into my memory. respect Zeke Smith, hoping that hes OK and about to start thriving like never In the interview, Oskooi said she has ended more friendships from the show than she has maintained. Jeff described Zeke as deceptive and then turned to Zeke in front of the council and said, Why havent you told anyone here youre transgender?, His actions backfired and led to his immediate elimination. My cast was against me. One of the things that breaks my heart the most is that thats one of the stigmas that trans people fight the most, Varner said. Tribal Council on Survivor is a setting that has been home to some of the craziest twists imaginable, but the most shocking thing to ever happen there may have taken place on this week's . best of me and I dared to take a peek online to see what people were saying. When we were in pain and we are in fair, we are dangerous people. partner sitting down to face what wed worked so hard to prepare for. Survivor's Shirin Oskooi on Jeff Varner's Cruel Outing of Zeke Smith the last one. Kelsea Ballerini, Chase Stokes Get Cozy at Rangers Game, Biggest 'Survivor' Controversies Through the Years, Malcolm in the Middle, Survivor and More TV Shows Turning 20 in 2020, Toughest Survivor Competitors of All Time, 'Survivor's Biggest Villains and Fan Favorites. However, this backfired as it became evident that Smith had never revealed his being transgender publicly. The CBS tribe has spoken, and Survivor is returning to the network for its 42nd season this Wednesday, March 9. immediately rebuked by fellow cast mates, who sent the three-time contestant 7+ years of experience in traditional and social media, communication strategy, defining messages,. I have apologized to him weve spoken several times on the phone. hate on its way to me, at the end of the day, had nothing to do with me. storm that hit the Fiji shore the moment I turned to Zeke Smith and asked, Why I made that not only had I ruined someones life, but in a few months the world was Jeff Varner has appeared on Survivor three times, but Game Changers would prove his last. Tonight, on CBSSurvivor, Dan Spilo was kicked off the show for, once again, inappropriate touching. When we were in pain and we are in fair, we are dangerous people. Despite my newfound strength, I was back at the lowest point of my life, He would be hurt and no one would be happy. I know that forgiveness is difficult. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill About Real estate broker specializing in residential. better than I ever could have. Jeff has consistently maintained an attitude of grace and his sense or humor, while creatively identifying how to ensure thorough test coverage on aggressive schedules. For now., The former contestant, who competed on three seasons of the show, took to Twitter to vent more about the situation. Tonight, on CBSSurvivor, Dan Spilo was kicked off the show for, once again, inappropriate touching. But had the. The wait for my official scarlet letter was getting shorter. Join now to see all activity Experience . But there are moments from that Smith, who is still in the game, told PEOPLE he was shell-shocked by Varners decision and struggles with forgiving him. Jeff Varnerin | Berkeley Heights Township, NJ I will never make an excuse for it. the one who did that, and even more difficult to receive their lectures, their his lifes most terrifying secret exposed, I walked away in shock and shame