Varner asked Smith at Tribal Council, Why havent you told anyone youre transgender? Varner stated that he believed Smith had been open about his identity with everyone back home but was trying to keep it hidden from his tribemates in the game. Knowing that he was on the chopping block, Varner started by pointing out that a secret alliance was forming between two contestants: Smith and Ozzy Lusth. This time, it's all business. I made a mistake. 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. Jeff started his third season on the Mana tribe. Smith, who is still in the game, told PEOPLE he was shell-shocked by Varners decision and struggles with forgiving him. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. Editing doesn't show any of that. Cowards., The former reality TV star is no stranger toSurvivordrama. Ive spoken to people on this cast. Jeff told Us Weekly in January 2020 that these incidents impacted his decision to not cast Richard on Winners at War., Given his history on our show, it did not seem appropriate, he told the publication. Rant over. The production team gave Spilo a formal warning on day 22. Season 2: Australia, Finished 10th out of 16 & Non-Jury His perfect day includes a trip to the mountains with someone special for a day of hiking and nature (including a swim at a breathtaking waterfall). Jeff Probst spoke to Us Weekly in January 2020 about Richards absence. It was a horrible thing. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Many people were in tears during the Tribal Council, and even Jeff Probst defended Smith. At the first Tribal Council, he voted with the majority to remove Ciera Eastin. Seeing that Jeff's actions would clearly lead to his elimination, Probst took an open roll call from all of the players, then had Varner eliminated without a formal vote. RELATED VIDEO: PENs Survivor Fan Forum Reacts to Zeke Being Outed as Transgender. The famous catchphrase has been a part of the show since its inception. About to climb, Posted by Jeff Varner onWednesday, December 11, 2019. Sue was so shaken by the incident that she left the show. Prior, he worked as a general assignment reporter for WPIX-11, the CW's flagship station in New York City. But the most important thing is Zeke forgave me. They love Dan. Earlier employment included stints as a waiter, bartender and traveling salesperson. 'Survivor's' Jeff Varner fired after outing trans contestant - USA Today Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. He was part of the first team in the corporate world to utilize the internet to communicate project information in Citicorp's "Product Design and Development Division. All of the other tribemates disregarded their alliances for the evening to admonish Varner and support Smith. [] 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.[3]. I'm good to people. It heightened my inspection of him. Im the perfect person to weigh in. It's absolutely horrible. Jeff Varner Reacts to Being Fired After Outing Castmate - People His respect, love and concern for children motivates him to volunteer for organizations and charities that support kids with need. Jeff was chosen from a pool of 32 candidates to be one of the 20 castaways to compete on the second chance season, Survivor: Cambodia. But today's not the day for that. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. I honor it and I acknowledge it. When asked by a cohost if we will see Edge of Extinction again, Probst responds, "Yes, absolutely. A huge mistake. For the evening, all of the other tribemates ignored their alliances to chastise Varner and support Smith. I have so much to say and am fuming right now. I wasn't in control in that moment. When you know what really goes on then you can tell me your opinion. Theres no question whos going home tonight, he said, briefly checking with each tribemate that they felt the same. He belonged to the Kucha tribe and made it to the merge, but not to the core group of nine, due to a tie with Colby Donaldson. All through pre-game, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Angkor's continued living in squalor continued to take its toll on the tribe, resulting in a complete collapse at the Day 11 Immunity Challenge. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first, In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies. The 34th season of "Survivor" premieres Wednesday night on CBS, and Jeff Varner of Greensboro will be among the contestants. (Choking up.) 1:07 After Survivor: Game Changers contestant Jeff Varner outed fellow castaway Zeke Smith as transgender, Varner faced public backlash. I'm not deceiving anybody. The Rhode Island natives arrogant gameplay earned him a bad reputation among Survivor fans. At Tribal Council, a desperate Jeff outedZeke as atransgender man, and tried to insinuate that Zeke's hiding this aspect of his life showed an ability to be deceitful. That's where I got the idea to use that secret alliance as a tool. [I warned the company that headlines might be coming], but apparently not the people who needed to hear it.. He continually forgives me. Today's a day for me to send that message: trans people are wonderful, and we should never, ever, out anybody. 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 contestant on three seasons of the CBS reality television series, Survivor: The Australian Outback, Survivor: Cambodia, and Survivor: Game Changers. Powered by. 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. Survivor Game Changers: Jeff Varner Describes His 'Horrible - Parade [6] 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. During that time, he said hes done a lot of growing. She also has friends from outside her seasons. He was born in 1966 in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Season 41 caused a lot of controversy among longtime viewers who criticized the new changes made to the game. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It's about whether trans people have the right to exist in public. Threats of boycotts. 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. That's the best I can deal with. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; He was part of the first team in the corporate world to utilize the internet to communicate project information as a manager in Citicorp's "Product Design and Development Division. I don't know who's gotten in his ear, but he's in a different place today and I respect that. Survivor airs Wednesdays (at 8 p.m. Youre saying by him not revealing it that hes capable of deception. Hes just ruining the showHis gimmicks and his ego are destroying it. All of that is edited out. Jeff Varner | Survivor Wiki | Fandom Ive talked to cast members. 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. Emotional. What just happened on Survivor tonight is 100% bull st. 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. Jeff Varner was fired from his real estate job this week, due to the public backlash generated when he outed fellow castaway Zeke Smith on last Wednesday's Survivor: Game Changers. I hope he can eventually grow to a place where he can comfortably be not only his authentic self, but help others be that. Don Lemon Says He Has No Regrets After CNN Firing: "I Am a Survivor". I know what happened that got him removed and Im telling you, 100% horse st. It took me a minute. The cast is not happy. Multiple Survivor alums, including Russell Hantz and Parvati Shallow, also spoke out in opposition. What this has done is unleash a conversation that will hopefully be good for all of us and lead us in a great direction. Playing with too much emotion in the beginning. His birth date is April 16. Sandra told me that he showed up to the airport carrying a bible. "Survivor" alum Richard Hatch recently shared his opinion on Jeff Probst and "Survivor 41" on the "Drop Your Buffs" podcast. 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. I have been through, I dont know how much therapy. That reasoning is infinitely worse than him outing me because its the same one used to discriminate against, attack and murder trans people. I just pray and hope for his safety. Varner, along with Sandra Diaz-Twine, Malcolm Freberg, Aubry Bracco, and Michaela Bradshaw were then switched to Nuku. Cowards. Jeff Varner - Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife, Net Worth - ItsBiography He joined the majority in voting out Survivor: Cagayan winner Tony Vlachos at Manas second Tribal Council. We have to acknowledge their humanity. [10] During his exit interview, he stated that no one on Survivor should do what he did. The next day, Jeff began making his moves against Ozzy, recruiting both Sarah and Zeke. The message should be clear that hate will always lose.. I couldn't even think about me and my life for months after it was over with. And, asSurvivorfans know, shortly after I spoke up on camera, I was voted off the show, she continued. However, a second Tribe Switch relegated him to the bottom with Sandra, and after her departure, Jeff scrambled to stay alive, but took it too far by revealing sensitive information about Zeke Smith at Tribal Council. Jeff Varner: Surviving the year after 'Survivor' bombshell I deserve every bit of it. However, after a tribal swap and expansion turned the two tribes into three, Varner and Law ended up on the brand new Angkor tribe, along with fellow former Ta Keo members Yung "Woo" Hwang and Abi-Maria Gomes, and two new members from the former Bayon tribe, Latasha "Tasha" Fox and Andrew Savage. Wigler: Did you ever bring any of this up with Zeke privately, before Tribal Council? No matter how good of a game you're playing, drawing the wrong buff can change everything. What skills do you bring to Survivor that will make you a useful member of the group and what skills have you been learning since you last played? Many fans praised Jeff for his commitment to inclusivity, but Richard isnt convinced the gesture was sincere. (Robert Voets/CBS via Getty. Jeff Varner (Jeffrey Keith Varner) was born on 16 April, 1966 in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Zeke led the original Nuku alliance into claiming that they were against Tai in order to keep Jeff and Sandra from scrambling, allowing them to take the latter out. Mandi is an experienced writer on various topics with a passion for telling stories with words. None of those Heroes vs Villains knew who Russell was. He and Oskooi became friends on the Ta Keo tribe during "Cambodia Second Chance," but when Varner returned for Survivor: Game Changers, he was unanimously voted out of the show after outing. Both Varner and Diaz-Twine voted for Trang at Tribal Council, but the rest of the tribe voted against Diaz-Twine, sending her out of the game for the first time in her Survivor career. I opened him up to discrimination and to danger and to crime. #sexnotgender. #Survivor.. He did, however, reveal at the reunion that he had been hired by a new real estate agency. Survivor's Shirin Oskooi on Jeff Varner's Cruel Outing of Zeke Smith This week, he gives his on-the-scene and behind-the-scenes insight and . Twitter. It's what's happening / Twitter Enjoy reading!! 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.. 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 . Varner: No. I have met with and spoken to several LGBT organizations Ive joined the board of a couple of them this has changed me drastically.. Email: Survivor airs Wednesdays (8 p.m. These are dignified people. Jeff Varner, a three-time Survivor contestant, said he was completely blindsided by his firing from a real estate company. ", He used that background to transition into web development, working in developing web properties for Citibank, MCI, Harlequin Romance, and Martha Stewart Living Online. Russell was working to deceive people. Our leaders are trying to erase trans people from society. 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. Smith and Varner shared . Current Age: 49 Varner eventually recognized that what he did was wrong, but it didnt really matter at that point. Thats so dirty, Jeff., Im not using that as anything negative! insisted Varner. #Survivor.. READ NEXT: Survivor Star Goes Off About COVID on Social Media, Why A Survivor Alum Severed Ties With Castmate, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. I own responsibility in what is the worst decision of my life.. Jeff Varner is a former American real estate agent and television personality who has worked as a news anchor and reporter, an entertainment reporter, and a contestant on three seasons of the CBS reality television series Survivor: The Australian Outback, Survivor: Cambodia, and Survivor: Game Changers. Jeff went on to say that he didnt feel comfortable having Richard on the show, given his background. No pre-taped reunion will hide it. He went to Southern Guilford High School, where he was involved in student government and theatre arts, as well as the yearbook editor; he later earned a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. With the entire cast still reeling with emotion, Probst moved onto the next step. ET. They are pre-taping the reunion because cast members plan to publicly support Dan and call out producers. Varner, along with Diaz-Twine and Bradshaw, blindsided Thomas at the fifth Tribal Council. But I was arguing the deception of the alliance. It was an awful thing to do. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullshit. Varner was a contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback, 2001. It's just been so difficult. Jeff told me at Tribal: "Varner, I've known you for 20 years. Richard appeared on the Drop Your Buffs podcast in February 2022, and the former castaway had some not-so-nice things to say about TV personality Jeff Probst. It was hard to watch. The truth will get out. Now, he's dealing with professional repercussions.. That didn't make the editing. Also, my instinctual gameplay. Sends us all back 20 years. His favorite television show is Sex and the City while his favorite feature films are Coal Miner's Daughter and The Matrix. Survivor 40, commonly referred to as Winners at War, featured several previous winners, but Richard Hatch was noticeably absent. You don't see the conversation I had with Ozzy where he told me he was in an alliance with Zeke and Andrea. "[9] 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. Jeff is the only contestant to be eliminated pre-jury on their first two seasons, and return for a third season. Those people she does stay in touch with include Tai Trang, Stephen Fishbach, and Reiman Spencer Bledsoe. If you dont remember, it happened at the final pre-merge Tribal Council. He also revealed that he has been working on a book called "Surviving Shame". I need to get my tissues here, because it's horrible. He told hosts Sean Ross and Evan Ross Katz that Jeff is ruining the game. Varner also mentions this in the episode where he was voted off, early in the episode while the Kucha tribe is talking in their shelter at night. 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 Survivor host has stood up for LGBTQIA+ contestants in the past. 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. I deserve it. I'm more physically fit, less emotional, and smarter. My conscience is in pain. I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. Ive spoken to these people. He anchors the 10pm CW7 newscast solo, then joins Judy Markee as co-anchor for Live at 11. When I saw Zeke, I didn't know who he was. Jeff Varner Bio, Age, Gay, Survivor, Real Estate, Zeke, Australian 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. And out of my mouth, it came. However, his loyalty to the group did not last as he saw how hard Shirin Oskooi and Spencer Bledsoe were playing, so he worked on turning the tribe against them. The three-time Survivor contestant, who first appeared during season two in 2001, told Entertainment Tonight that he was completely blindsided by his firing. 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. d.getElementsByTagName('body')[0].appendChild(js); Varner describes himself as provocative, energetic, competitive, adventurous, and a free spirit who will try anything twice. There was a hidden alliance. Survivor alum Richard Hatch recently shared his opinion on Jeff Probst and Survivor 41 on the Drop Your Buffs podcast. Varner was a contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback, 2001. This is horrible. 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. I just want to make sure nobody in this world ever does what I did. In April 2017, Jeff spoke to Entertainment Weekly about season 34 contestant Jeff Varner outing Zeke Smith as transgender. He is 56 years old as of 16 April 2022. Jeff faced a heavy blow on Night 11 when Malcolm was blindsided. https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/20787/, https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/215113/, https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/215595/, https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.tv.survivor/U3zsup_1rpM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKhBeaD2qy4, https://youtu.be/jseHkf5ls8g?list=PLbkYrk13yG1TU9gBySyoJOKUI8HddwNoB, https://twitter.com/OgdenDiane/status/644645689369186304, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQ36WsW6O0, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io91MKjtoZM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1hLnSKt4-M, http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/jeff-varner-joins-wnct-as-evening-anchor/64666, http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/former-survivor-contestant-jeff-varner-out-at-wnct/130901, http://www.thetvjunkies.com/survivors-jeff-varner-interview/, http://www.greensboro.com/blogs/gotriad_extra/greensboro-s-jeff-varner-faces-backlash-after-outing-fellow-survivor/article_1d75e724-08cc-5fbb-826f-72e6ac9ecaa3.html, http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/jeff-varner-of-survivor-australia-auctioning-coloring-book-pages-for-children-charity-814.php, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifMToVaAAPw, http://robhasawebsite.com/survivor-31-2015-second-chances-kimmi-kappenberg-interview/, "Survivor: CambodiaSecond Chance players reveal who they are surprised did NOT make the cast", http://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/26/survivor-cambodia-second-chance-cast-video-shane-powers, Contestants Appearing in Multiple Seasons, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, On May 17, 2001, Jeff appeared as an panelist on, In 2003, Jeff was one of several castaways who appeared on, Jeff worked as an entertainment reporter for KCBS in Los Angeles, CA then, Jeff began his career in communications as a public relations assistant and corporate communications manager for Citicorp in New York City. Jeff Varner - Wikipedia You don't have a hateful bone in your body." However, he revealed at the reunion that he got hired at a new real estate agency. That is a giant leap of logic. Read Zeke'spersonal account of his story by clicking here. 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. The Survivor: Island of the Idols finale and reunion airs on CBS Wednesday, December 18, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. In the Drop Your Buffs interview, Richard didnt hold back his disdain for Jeff, telling Sean and Evan, Jeff Probst is horrendous as a human being. I forgive him for that. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullsht, he wrote. 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. And, asSurvivorfans know, shortly after I spoke up on camera, I was voted off the show, Kim added. I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. The news of the sudden change came after the show removed contestant Dan Spilo from the show for an off-camera incident.. Make your predictions and compete to win prizes and glory predicting all aspects of Hollywood competition. There is deception going on right here, and you guys are the victims of it, he said. & Aubry who targeted Michaela and Michaela & Sandra who targeted J.T.. 'Survivor' contestant rips CBS for pre-taped reunion after T. Thomas, Jr., the Survivor: Tocantins winner. So pissed. And hes calling me a bigot and full of hate and all kinds of stuff. Richard Hatch. He stated during his exit interview that no one on Survivor should do what he did. [7] Early in the game, Varner was seen as a crucial player in the season: He and Peih-Gee Law from Survivor: China were the swing votes who ultimately decided the elimination of Vytas Baskauskas on Day Three, and Varner himself organized the elimination of Shirin Oskooi on Day Six. How will you play differently this time? I know there might bequestions about me and where I am and what I'm doing and how I'm feeling. Born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, Varner currently lives in Manhattan, New York. At Tribal Council, Jeff sided with Abi-Maria, Andrew, and Tasha in sending Peih-Gee home. So pissed. I'm trying to argue people: "That's not what I'm talking about!"