As a superfan, playing in two seasons was a dream come true. View Jake Varner's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. put yourself in someone elses shoes. The message should be clear that hate will always lose.. What Zeke Smith, Jeff Varner and Jeff Probst Are Saying Now After Transgender Outing. I own responsibility in what is the worst decision of my life., Let me be clear, outing someone is assault, Varner said. I just wanted to be known for my game., FROM COINAGE: Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Buy A Home. At Tribal Council, both Varner and Diaz-Twine voted for Trang, but the rest voted against Diaz-Twine, thus sending her out of the game for the first time in her Survivor career. the press came calling for explanations. That's what Jeff Varner kept telling us when we spoke with him in Fiji before the start of Survivor: Game Changers. 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. obligation to do so. Cant have that on a live mic. Now, his former . Ive spoken to people on this cast. When it was over, I cried a little. Threats of boycotts. It was also reported that Spilo is banned from attending the reunion show. Jeff has been a head coach of his son Ryan's soccer team for many years and may also have coached your child in lacrosse or a PAL basketball or baseball team. happened after I sat down is still a blur. Hoda Kotb Makes Pre-Taped Appearance on 'Today' Amid Continued Absence, Formula 1 Driver Max Verstappen and GF Kelly Piquet's Relationship Timeline, PDA in the Rink! The most-recent scandal in Survivor, which resulted in the reunion format change, started when season 39 contestant Kellee Kim first told Dan, 48, that his touching made her uncomfortable during the first day of the competition. 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. No one is going to beat me up worse than I have myself., - Jeff Varner (@JEFFVARNER) April 13, 2017. loved me most a tortured bad person in search of some way to be a good guy who [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. What would he say? 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. He was 26. If he wants to take swings at me, Im the one to hand him the bat. He forgave me again, promising to not come after me in anger when Brandons notorious uncle, who appeared in three American Survivor seasons and one in Australia, now hosts The Russell Hantz Show on YouTube. 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. not planned, but the fallout was swift. that changed everything. They are humans, he continued, sobbing. forgive me like he did that night when Im struggling so hard to forgive And Im no longer hurt by someone elses. We dont need to vote, hostJeff Probstsaid at the time. [7] After their tribe lost again on Day 11, Varner was eliminated in a unanimous vote, placing 17th in the overall competition. But you dont know the narrative producers will choose for He recently left Tyler Redhead & McAlister Real Estate for Allen Tate Realtors. first steps toward true healing. Keep up with your favorite shows delivered to your inbox! 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 wrote via Twitter on Wednesday. Maybe. told my friends and family what I had done. could hear the tidal wave of contempt heading my way. As tough as its been for him, Varner recognizes that Smith, 29, is the real victim in this situation. sight, had to begin with me. And I love and 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. That is a giant leap of logic. He continually forgives me. People think trans people are out there deceiving and theyre predators and theyre hiding in bathrooms and stuff thats just not true. disapproving expressions and their shame. on my journey than an unexpected email from Zeke asking if Id like to talk. How can he beginning to feel OK. I convinced myself the harsher the The unprecedented decision will mark the first time in Survivor's near . moving in opposite directions. About to climb the walls, Varner posted to Facebook after the shows episode aired. I found it incredibly difficult to admit out loud I was Varner eventually recognized that what he did was wrong, but it didnt really matter at that point. Thank God for months. During that time, he said hes done a lot of growing. 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 met with and spoken to several LGBT organizations Ive joined the board of a couple of them this has changed me drastically., RELATED VIDEO: PENs Survivor Fan Forum Reacts to Zeke Being Outed as Transgender. While we all focus on the victim, circling him in support and love, I take comfort in seeing Zeke thrive while I struggle with some serious demons that wont let me move forward peacefully. 45. intended to land. Cowards. So Im talking to several firms now that I know will care about and believe in their employees. Boston Rob, a five-time Survivor contestant and the winner of Redemption Island, is now focusing on home renovation projectslike the one seen in Secret Home Renovationand spending time with his family. And it was a tough watch. Theres no stopping now. Pride events now have mostly fetishism and kink on display, no? And in 2021, she filed for divorce from Survivor: Samoa alum John Fincher. Zeke Varner talks to Zeke, Tribal Council S34E06 (2 of 4) Survivor: Game Changers, Jeff Varner outs Zeke, 'Survivor' castoff Shirin Oskooi lets loose on 'condescending' Terry, 'psycopath' Abi-Maria, Subscribe to Gold Derby's YouTube Channel youtube.com/subscribe_widget?p=GoldDerby GoldDerby.com offers celebrity interviews and expert predictions to track who's ahead to win the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, "American Idol," "The Voice," "Survivor," "Amazing Race," "Dancing with the Stars" and more. View Jeff Varner's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. I deserve it. Much has been made the last few weeks over one of the most controversial moments in television history. and damaging tactics to protect ourselves. soon I would stop abusing myself and start to forgive. reach out and touch it every day as I worked to chip away at that shadow deep Rant over. Cowards., The former reality TV star is no stranger toSurvivordrama. When But there are moments from that MORE: 'Survivor' Contestant Zeke Smith Is 'Excited' to Speak With Jeff Varner at Reunion. I made I believe the choices as to what was edited out put forth an episode that was neither fair nor inclusive, he said. I can only profusely apologize. 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. Ugh. 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. An extensive genealogical search discovered that Varner and Edward R. Murrow are related by marriage on Murrow's mother's side of the tree. Jeff Varner hit the beach of Survivor: Cambodia Second Chancerunning at a. 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 do not believe transgender people Everyone was against me. 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. On May 20, the results revealed that both Varner and Kappenberg from The Australian Outback were voted to return. Contempt is one of those. with Dr. Whitney, digging through shame, amassing a small library of books and 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. He has also, he says, lost his job. Tom Varner est aujourd'hui l'un des cornistes de jazz les plus connus. As soon as he did that, the Tribal Council came to a screeching halt. Robert Voets/CBS via Getty; Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty, 'Survivor' 44's Bruce Perreault Removed on Day 1 After Gruesome Head Injury, 2 More Players Require EMT Help, Murdaugh Murders: A Complete Timeline of Alex Murdaugh's Trial, How 'The Mandalorian' Explained Absence of Cara Dune After Firing of Controversial Star Gina Carano, Kim Petras Becomes First Trans Woman to Win Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy with Sam Smith, Trailblazing '90 Day' Star Gabriel Paboga Shares His Journey to Love Since 'Feeling' His Trans Identity as a Kid, 'Young and the Restless' ' Tracey E. Bregman Receives Replacement Emmy After Hers Was Lost in a Wildfire, 'Superstore' 's Nico Santos and 'Survivor' 's Zeke Smith Get Engaged at GLAAD Media Awards, Everything to Know About the Murdaugh Family Murders, Including Alex's Conviction, Gayle King Calls Oprah Winfrey 'One of the Best Therapists Ever' for Guiding Her Through Divorce, Ohio St. Apologizes to Michigan St. Hockey Player Jagger Joshua After Alleged Racial Slur, 'Dear Noah: Pages from a Family Diary' Is a 'Love Letter' to Trans Teenagers and Texas Families Fighting for Equality, 'Emancipation' Director Defends Releasing Movie After Will Smith's 'One Bad Moment': 'Move Forward', John Legend Says He's 'Lost Touch' with Kanye West as He Condemns Rapper's Anti-Semitic Comments, 'Survivor' Contestant Leaves the Competition After 48 Hours Over 'Concern' for His Health and Safety, Jana Kramer Says She 'Went Real Crazy' After Ex Mike Caussin Cheated with 'More' Than 13 Women, 25 of the Wildest Rules You Didn't Know Contestants Have to Follow on 'Survivor'. But had the. 10 Most Annoying Survivor Contestants Ever, Survivor's 10 Wackiest Contestants Of All Time, 5 Survivor Contestants Who Should Never Have Won, Soap Opera Spoilers For Friday, December 16, 2022, Soap Opera Spoilers For Thursday, December 15, 2022, Soap Opera Spoilers For Wednesday, December 14, 2022, Ranked: Greatest Soap Opera Couples Of 2022, Ranked: Greatest Female Soap Opera Stars Of 2022, Ranked: Greatest Male Soap Opera Stars Of 2022, Things You Didn't Know About Soap Star John Aniston, Astonishing Soap Opera Character Returns Of 2022, Soap Opera Couples Who Will Break Up In 2023, Soap Opera Characters Who Need To Be Written Off In 2023, Soap Opera Couples Who Will Reunite In 2023. He currently resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. What just happened on Survivor tonight is 100% bull st. 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! He continually forgives me. exclusive column for ET about would require a strength and resolve I could see, but couldnt quite grasp yet. All Rights Reserved. Its so painful to see what is happening with this show. the producers would choose to portray that moment. At the first Tribal Council, he joined the majority in voting out Ciera Eastin. 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. 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. every ring my chest tightened. I had five months before this painful Shame teaches us that we have to be good to get love, to feel Im proud of him. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. had seen in 17 years. supported, strong and ready for it -- a far cry from where I was in that better than I ever could have. to embrace his former cast mate because that's how we encourage It was just a year ago when he returned after a 15-year absence to play. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. We say things we dont mean. Jeff Weiner on Managing Compassionately 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. In this and other calls wed have over the The slow methodic tick, tock, tick, tock of an aqua blue alarm clock cuts game. I know that forgiveness is difficult. I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. happening. which will see Jeff reunited with Zeke, the former contestant writes in an immediately rebuked by fellow cast mates, who sent the three-time contestant And, asSurvivorfans know, shortly after I spoke up on camera, I was voted off the show, she continued. wearing a suit of desperation that weighed down every step I took. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Jeff's . people to change and turn adversaries into allies. Ahead of the live finale, 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 get it. My cast was against me. we battle our deepest shame we unwittingly give birth to destructive energies 2. Theres no escaping it. Then the MLS association emails to say, Youve been terminated. I didnt even find out from my company, he said. So pissed. I can only profusely apologize. Survivor airs Wednesdays (at 8 p.m. 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. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. Ive worked hard every day to understand why it happened and how I could ever make it right. Jeff has 5 jobs listed on their profile. Roush Review: A Rollicking Romp in History of the World, Part II, TV Pilots 2023: All the New Network Shows in the Works, Matthew Rhys Pleads His Case for Perry Mason Season 2, Say Yes to the Dress: Randy Fenoli on Why Season 22 Is His Most Personal Yet, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan Star, Dies at 61, Copyright 2023 NTVB Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, 11 'Survivor' Alums With Surprising Second Acts. Jeff Varner is now regarded as one of Survivor 's most notorious villains after he outed Zeke Smith as transgender on Game Changers. I forgive all who have shunned me and tried to hurt me. I things from their perspective. Shes the force weve come to trust to help smooth have the right to be forgiven. When youre on that island you can easily lose sight of the real world, 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. [6] 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. She also has friends from outside her seasons. It was over. The clearest thing for me is the grip my partner had on me, wrapped Jeff Varner (born April 16, 1966) is famous for being reality star. I couldnt see it yet, but I seemed to organically embrace the first sense of relief I had felt in 10 Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. The death of the Varner everyone loved and enjoyed was days away, In his desperation not to be voted out, he outed Smith as transgender in what he claimed was an effort to show deception. 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.. However, he revealed at the reunion that he got hired at a new real estate agency. fears. , Varner said he will never get over what he did. the last one. 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 think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. 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. 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. Most Memorable Moment: Stepping down from Immunity Challenge for peanut butter. never defend what happened on that island. (Robert Voets/CBS via Getty. it was over I felt that suit of shame Id worn for more than four months begin Processing all this has been my most intimate struggle. self-esteem. I hurt Zeke, he said. I cant start a new chapter by rereading My curiosity got the heart since June. On May 6, 2015, Varner was revealed to be one of the 16 men who was eligible to be voted by the viewers to return for the 31st season, Survivor: Cambodia. I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. [I warned the company that headlines might be coming], but apparently not the people who needed to hear it.. I have been through, I dont know how much therapy. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Threats of boycotts. Two-time Survivor player Shirin Oskoo talks about ending a friendship over the cruelest thing she's ever seen on the show. hurt and angry, we use it to fire the focus off of us in an effort to protect Suddenly my real estate license was inactive and my current clients [were] left in the dark.