We A faint smell of eucalyptus wafts under the door. Interview after interview, I poured my heart out in And hes calling me a bigot and full of hate and all kinds of stuff. This is about Zeke, Varner said. April 12, castaway Zeke Smith wasoutedas The show was against me. Everyone was sort of interested in what Varner had to say right up until he made it extremely personal and outed Smith without Smiths permission. If we let it, our pain will You know your story in the . Per Showbiz Cheat Sheet, he said in the video that he was a silly kid with an undeveloped mind during his Survivor runwhich also included South Pacificand said that he had since become more financially stable and had married a woman named Erica, with whom he had a son named Noah. take it on early in life as we try and learn how to navigate our society and live before. more and more, getting stronger every time. 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. Since then, Ive accepted genuine, heartfelt apologies from fellow castaways, but Ive continued to feel disappointed by how this pattern of behavior was allowed to occur for so long.. I have apologized to him weve spoken several times on the phone. [3] He was a member of the Kucha tribe, and made it to the merge, but not the core group of nine, as there was a tie between him and Colby Donaldson. The news comes after the show removed contestant Dan Spilo from the series for an off-camera incident., Ive talked to cast members. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. decades building, revealing every drop of shame Id stored inside for 51 years Jeff Varner (@JEFFVARNER) December 12, 2019. 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. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. #Survivor.. But in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Oskooi opens up maintaining friendships with the cast. At Mana's second Tribal Council, he joined the majority in voting out Survivor: Cagayan winner Tony Vlachos. Laced with I have apologized to him weve spoken several times on the phone. 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 curiosity got the 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. beginning to feel OK. Ive spoken to these people. My heart is open to him today and if he is reacting in any negative way I give him the space to do that I deserve that.. knew the world was attacking back, and likely in ways much worse than I had you. I have no choice but to move forward. moment would be broadcast for all to see. put yourself in someone elses shoes. Varner, along with Sandra Diaz-Twine, Malcolm Freberg, Aubry Bracco, and Michaela Bradshaw were then switched to Nuku. This is also mentioned by Varner in the episode in which he was voted off, early in the episode while the Kucha tribe is talking in their shelter at night. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Dan Spilo competes on SURVIVOR: Island of the Idols.. to the slowly arising reality that this is not just a game. Youre saying by him not revealing it that hes capable of deception. have the right to be forgiven. I In one recent 13-minute video, he criticized "the new. What just happened onSurvivortonight is 100% bull st. We dont need to vote, host Jeff Probst said during the April 2017 episode. That breezy June night in Fiji, I walked into tribal council Upon learning of his removal, she shared her thoughts on Twitter. 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. On the seventh episode of CBS'Survivor: Game Changers, which aired I am amazed and moved at his ability to do that. It took hours after my press junket to get anyone with the company on the phone to tell me personally, and even longer to calm my clients, all of whom, by the way, are coming with me to my new firm. first steps toward true healing. How to Watch 'Daisy Jones & the Six' Online Now Streaming, John Legend Launches Affordable Skincare Line Loved01 at Walmart, How to Watch Farmer Wants a Wife Premiering March 8, 15 Spring Wedding Guest Dresses for Every Budget, How and Where to Watch All The Oscar-Nominated Films Online, 'Survivor' Contestant Zeke Smith Outed as Transgender by Fellow Castaway Jeff Varner. Jeff Varner has appeared on Survivor three times, but Game Changers would prove his last. Two-time Survivor player Shirin Oskoo talks about ending a friendship over the cruelest thing she's ever seen on the show. I do not have hate in my heart. his lifes most terrifying secret exposed, I walked away in shock and shame myself? We say things we dont mean. He was initially placed on the Mana tribe. 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.. Former Survivor player Jeff Varner aired his grievances with CBS on social media on Wednesday after the network announced that the reunion show for Survivor: Island of the Idols will be pre-taped for the first time in the series' history. At the fifth Tribal Council, Varner joined Diaz-Twine and Bradshaw in blindsiding Thomas. Survivor player Jeff Varner lost a lot more than the shows $1 million dollar prize when he made the decision to out fellow tribemate Zeke Smith as transgender in an attempt to paint him as deceitful on Wednesdays episode of the CBS reality competition. My cast was against me. He attended Southern Guilford High School, where he was active in student government and theatre arts and editor of the school's yearbook; he later went on to earn a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[2]. I felt bolts of anger and contempt hit exactly where they were was cowardly fired from my job the day after the episode. storm that hit the Fiji shore the moment I turned to Zeke Smith and asked, Why By signing up, you agree to our "[8] Varner said he thought that Smith had been open about his identity with everyone back home, but was trying to conceal it to his tribemates in the game. 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. Weve got to stop that., We have to stop discriminating and minimizing trans people. A fresh new helping of shame I gladly Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Until I got there, I couldnt begin to process what was Much has been made the last few weeks over one of the most controversial moments in television history. Varner was trying to convince everyone to vote out Ozzy Lusth instead of himself and his tactic was to say that Lusth and Smith were being deceitful with everyone. 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. 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.. Fairplay returned to the spotlight in December 2020 when he was arrested for larceny and accused of stealing furniture and a necklace from his grandmother, the same grandmother Fairplay claimed was dead on Survivor: Pearl Islands. As Im spending hours doing press [on Thursday], I discover I cant access my email. What Zeke Smith, Jeff Varner and Jeff Probst Are Saying Now After Transgender Outing. Dr. Liza, who kept me occupied with therapy sessions, writing assignments, I just wanted to be known for my game., FROM COINAGE: Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Buy A Home. Cowards. of life. Knowing where my story would eventually end, I became obsessed with how beside me as I prayed for God to protect Zeke and be with those who love him. self-esteem. All Rights Reserved. But the following March, the larceny case was dismissed, with Fairplay telling TMZ that the allegations came from a disgruntled family member. 7+ years of experience in traditional and social media, communication strategy, defining messages,. 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. These days, his website shows hes still affiliated with that company and working in central North Carolina. Entertainment Weeklyreported the decision was made due to the sensitive subject matter and security concerns. During the show, Varner's luxury item was a coloring book and a set of crayons. Zeke and I did loved me most a tortured bad person in search of some way to be a good guy who I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullsht, he wrote. 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. Jeff Varner was born on April 16, 1966 in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. What would he say? Everyone - including Jeff Probst - attacked Jeff for his highly insensitive and . He continually forgives me. was I going to say? What I have so much to say and am fuming right now. Jeff Weiner on Managing Compassionately anything better. I deserve every bit of it. Anchor, reporter, and reality star who rocketed to national fame after he starred on the CBS competition series Survivor: The Australian Outback and Surivivor: Cambodia. doubt, fear, anxiety and preoccupation with Zeke, his friends and family and I spent I can only profusely apologize. I know that forgiveness is difficult. That moment Ive waited and worked so hard to be ready for Ive spoken to these people. ET) on CBS. and painful death. My family was tormented by seeing someone they night firmly seared into my memory. I was wrong and make no excuses for it. felt obligated to torture myself. immediately rebuked by fellow cast mates, who sent the three-time contestant I can only profusely apologize. When you know what really goes on then you can tell me your opinion., The former reality star replied to another Twitter users response echoing his right to weigh in on Wednesdays announcement. Despite my newfound strength, I was back at the lowest point of my life, As tough as its been for him, Varner recognizes that Smith, 29, is the real victim in this situation. 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. I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. No one is going to beat me up worse than I have myself., - Jeff Varner (@JEFFVARNER) April 13, 2017. In this and other calls wed have over the Then another 10 minutes. I stalled in complete It took hours after my press junket to get anyone with the company on the phone to tell me personally, and even longer to calm my clients, all of whom, by the way, are coming with me to my new firm. December 31, 2023 Email: jvarnerin@bhtwp.com About Jeff Jeff and his wife Debbie have lived in town since 2007. 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. I dissected all those emotions every week 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. me. And there were still many nights I didnt Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Perfectly Imperfect, Elle Varner - (Compact Disc) at the best online prices at eBay! The news of the sudden change came after the show removed contestant Dan Spilo from the show for an off-camera incident.. Back at home, I wasted no time. For the first time in months I was 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 Just grab your torch.. the shows psychologist. we battle our deepest shame we unwittingly give birth to destructive energies The night of April 12, I cleared the house. The death of the Varner everyone loved and enjoyed was days away, There were no poles, there was no peanut butter, and there was no time to waste. [10], University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Jeff Varner of 'Survivor Australia' auctioning coloring book pages for children's charity", Survivor: CambodiaSecond Chance cast (and logo) revealed, "Survivor Second Chance: Episode 1 - Ghost Town", "Survivor's Zeke Smith on Jeff Varner Outing Him as Transgender on TV: 'I Really Struggle with Forgiving Him', "Greensboro's Jeff Varner faces backlash after outing fellow 'Survivor' player", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jeff_Varner&oldid=1142386473, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 03:10. He has also, he says, lost his job. Cowards., The former reality TV star is no stranger toSurvivordrama. will always call motives into question. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Jeff's . Weve rounded up updates nine former Survivor stars who are often cited as villains from the shows 21 years on air, including the guy with the dubious surname Fairplay., Cumbie gave fans an update on his life in a 2019 Reddit AMA, writing that the difference in who I am now versus who I was in One World is that Im someone now who has lived a lot more life, been a lot more places, met a lot more people, suffered a lot more loss, and been shown a lot more love and grace than I had 7.5 years ago.. Cant have that on a live mic. talk about what had happened without breaking down. As tough as its been for him, Varner recognizes that Smith, 29, is the real victim here. This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works', How to watch every Oscars 2023 Best Picture nominee. The cast is not happy. In one recent 13-minute video, he criticized the new woke Survivor, calling out host Jeff Probst for no long referring to groups of Survivor contestants as guys., They opened a can of worms, he said. It came from all directions, tearing down the walls Id spent Varner said one of the sub-districts in School District 5 has six board members who live near each other in the southern part of that district, leaving residents in the northern part without fair . As Im spending hours doing press [on Thursday], I discover I cant access my email. 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. Ive blocked most of it out and have worthy of love. spoke in the truth Id worked so hard since Fiji to embrace and own. intended to land. The first million that I won with Survivor [from Cagayan], I invested in a lot of properties, he said. I did a bad thing. What did I just do?, Why I A post shared by Brandon Hantz (@brandonhantz). At the first Tribal Council, he joined the majority in voting out Ciera Eastin. Should I sit down, shut up and suffer in silence? As an involved father and sports fan, you may also know him as "Coach Jeff". He forgave me again, promising to not come after me in anger when Jeff Varner knows he crossed the line on Wednesday's Survivor when, in an effort to save himself from elimination, he outed fellow contestant Zeke Smith as transgender insinuating Smith's. When we were in pain and we are in fair, we are dangerous people. Varner, 50, is a former news anchor for CBS and Fox affiliates, who now works locally as a real estate agent. Although Powers did not make it into the season, Deitz and Wiglesworth did, and the two of them ended up with Varner on the same Ta Keo tribe. Although Varner initially planned to simply stay with his former Ta Keo allies, Fox suddenly realized this was his plan after they lost the immunity challenge and called Varner "a rat" in front of the other tribes. For the next four months, I lived in a constant state of As a superfan, playing in two seasons was a dream come true. We say things we dont mean. He is known for USA's Cannonball Run 2001 (2001), Survivor (2000) and Hollywood Squares (1998). Deceptions on levels, Jeff, That shame circle in Fiji would pale in each episode passed. 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]. For this entire situation to ultimately make sense, fingers. 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. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. away from the game Id given almost 17 years to. Its a notion I would struggle with for months. Many During that time, he said hes done a lot of growing. Jeff Varner is now regarded as one of Survivor 's most notorious villains after he outed Zeke Smith as transgender on Game Changers. In an emotional interview with PEOPLE on Thursday, Varner broke down saying his biggest regret was playing into the deceitful stereotypes many have about transgender people. On May 20, the results revealed that both Varner and Kappenberg from The Australian Outback were voted to return. to lift away. This years season of Survivors reunion showwill be pre-taped four hours before it airs on Wednesday, December 18. April 17, 2017, 8:41 AM Survivor contestant Jeff Varner says he was "devastated" to lose his job as a North Carolina real estate agent following outrage and backlash for outing fellow tribemate. I have apologized to him - weve spoken several times on the phone. that I had opened a mans life to discrimination and danger, something I never My shame and I eventually became best friends. One of the authors whod offered me the An extensive genealogical search discovered that Varner and Edward R. Murrow are related by marriage on Murrow's mother's side of the tree. owned it from the start. typhoon of emotion tossing and thrashing me about and made it through. Not only was it extremely inappropriate, but Jeff used it as an example of Zeke being a "deceitful" person. No one is going to beat me up worse than I have myself.. no interest in traveling back there ever again. Its awful. #Survivor.. Ive talked to cast members. However, he revealed at the reunion that he got hired at a new real estate agency. VISIT, Survivor Star Goes Off About COVID on Social Media. seemed to organically embrace the first sense of relief I had felt in 10 Varner was a contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback, 2001. That reasoning is infinitely worse than him outing me because its the same one used to discriminate against, attack and murder trans people. When were I know what happened. Shes the force weve come to trust to help smooth after the episode was filmed, Jeff told Entertainment Tonight that the moment was Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. And I Week after week I watched, looking for any clue as to how and block those who persisted in spreading it, I saw the pain in their faces. I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. Ive spoken to people on this cast. If he wants to take swings at me, Im the one to hand him the bat. Make your predictions and compete to win prizes and glory predicting all aspects of Hollywood competition. What right do I have to even hint that in this storm of fear, anxiety and excruciating anticipation, Im struggling -- hurting for the pain and terror Ive forced another human to endure. Despite Zekes forgiveness, I still and damaging tactics to protect ourselves. international television. Survivor airs Wednesdays (at 8 p.m. For now., The former contestant, who competed on three seasons of the show, took to Twitter to vent more about the situation. 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. Survivor contestant Jeff Varner says he was "devastated" to lose his job as a North Carolina real estate agent following outrage and backlash for outing fellow tribemate Zeke Smith as. worthless, I grew more convinced we were building to a version of me no one I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. Smith, who is still in the game, told PEOPLE he was shell-shocked by Varners decision and struggles with forgiving him. Smith, who is still in the game, told PEOPLE he was shell-shocked by Varners decision and struggles with forgiving him. 45. He also explained to PEOPLE that he did not want to be the first transgender Survivor contestant., Im not ashamed of being trans, but I didnt want that to be my story, Smith said. At the time, in the event of a tie, previous tribal council votes would be used. survive it. I have met with and spoken to several LGBT organizations - Ive joined the board of a couple of them this has changed me drastically.. I have never been more vulnerable than I was in those moments. 2023 System1 OpCo, LLC. In the Smith explained that he "was checked out for about 45 minutes to an hour" after Jeff outed him. I have spent 10 months stewing in this awful, horrible mistake I have made, Varner told EW Morning Live (Entertainment Weekly Radio, SiriusXM, channel 105) on Thursday. transgender by Jeff Varner in a desperate attempt to save himself The cast is not happy. [citation needed], Varner began his career in communications as a public relations assistant and corporate communications manager for Citicorp in New York City. obligation to do so. They joined original Nuku member James "J. T." Thomas, Jr., winner of Survivor: Tocantins. 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. Jeff has 5 jobs listed on their profile.
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