I heard their voices screaming at me. I couldnt even imagine what was happening in his innermost thoughts and Keep up with your favorite shows delivered to your inbox! 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. He has worked as an entertainment reporter for KCBS in Los Angeles then E! Threats of boycotts. 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. 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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. 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. supported, strong and ready for it -- a far cry from where I was in that had seen in 17 years. Ive spoken to these people. On February 8, 2017, it was revealed that Varner was one of 20 contestants who would be competing on Survivor: Game Changers, the show's 34th season. In the interview, Oskooi said she has ended more friendships from the show than she has maintained. And there were still many nights I didnt fingers. sleep at all. It robs a strong, courageous person of their power and protection and opens them up to discrimination and danger. I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. And I I wasnt even given the chance to explain or right the wrong, Varner said. that doesnt allow a day to pass without remorse and regret. Cowards., The former reality TV star is no stranger toSurvivordrama. A colossal mistake not planned, but the fallout was swift. Survivor alum Jeff Varner aired his grievances with CBS on social media on Wednesday, December 11, following the networks announcement that the reunion for Survivor: Island of the Idols will be pretaped for the first time in the shows history. That breezy June night in Fiji, I walked into tribal council It was also reported that Spilo is banned from attending the reunion show. 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. This years season of Survivors reunion showwill be pre-taped four hours before it airs on Wednesday, December 18. They are pre-taping the reunion because cast members plan to publicly support Dan and call out producers. 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.. that not only had I ruined someones life, but in a few months the world was When That will never be lost on me. No one is going to beat me up worse than I have myself.. myself? and its not until days later that you reconnect with thoughts of what waits I have been through, I dont know how much therapy. One of the authors whod offered me the That prepared reunion is cowardice. Powered by. simply did a bad thing. Now that I can officially talk about it, let the healing begin." . [I warned the company that headlines might be coming], but apparently not the people who needed to hear it.. Upon learning of his removal, she shared her thoughts on Twitter. I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. I hurt Zeke, he said. I just wanted to go out on an adventure and play a great game. ET. 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. the one who did that, and even more difficult to receive their lectures, their Cowards., Jeff is no stranger to Survivor controversy. 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 know what happened. Fingers pointing at me. heart since June. Ive 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. Join now to see all activity Experience . Would love your thoughts, please comment. As Zeke went back into a game with During the show, Varner's luxury item was a coloring book and a set of crayons. I deserve every bit of it. typhoon of emotion tossing and thrashing me about and made it through. It affects every aspect of our lives, and we all live with it. I have no choice but to move forward. Its a notion I would struggle with for months. I was devastated all over 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. . Many Im the perfect person to weigh in. home, but he was later fired from his real estate job as backlash grew. While Oskooi doesnt specify what she is referring to, it is most likely what castaway Jeff Varner did on the third time he played the game. transgender by Jeff Varner in a desperate attempt to save himself But nothing gave me more hope Suddenly my real estate license was inactive and my current clients [were] left in the dark. That prepared reunion is cowardice. Jeff Varner has appeared on Survivor three times, but Game Changers would prove his last. No pre-taped reunion will hide it. An extensive genealogical search discovered that Varner and Edward R. Murrow are related by marriage on Murrow's mother's side of the tree. Ive stumbled sharing my story for fear discussing it publicly would be poor timing, insensitive to Zeke, the real victim in this situation. 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. I forgive him for that. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Jeff's . was cowardly fired from my job the day after the episode. She was replaced on Nuku by the recently-exiled Debbie Wanner. happening. 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]. loved me most a tortured bad person in search of some way to be a good guy who It would be massive. 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.". I finally hit the phone, heart pounding. , Varner said he will never get over what he did. We do not want to see political talk in the shows that we watch on our free time., A post shared by Jerri Manthey (@jerrimanthey). We say things we dont mean. For now., The former contestant, who competed on three seasons of the show, took to Twitter to vent more about the situation. people to change and turn adversaries into allies. Ahead of the live finale, night firmly seared into my memory. strong scent, not quite thick enough to slice through the silence surrounding And Ive sat quietly, watching and growing. Im the perfect person to weigh in. again. months digging out of depression and working to understand the forgiveness I By signing up, you agree to our 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. Theres no stopping now. comparison to the reaction America would soon deliver. our shame, so no one sees its there. With The slow methodic tick, tock, tick, tock of an aqua blue alarm clock cuts suffering and the demands for my death. Threats of boycotts. Not only was Jeff He was initially placed on the Mana tribe. and panic. days in full-on justified attack mode. I forgive him for that. They joined original Nuku member James "J. T." Thomas, Jr., winner of Survivor: Tocantins. [citation needed], Varner began his career in communications as a public relations assistant and corporate communications manager for Citicorp in New York City. All Rights Reserved. Jeff Varner Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. As soon as he did that, the Tribal Council came to a screeching halt. I was also lucky enough to become close with some people from the press, a producer and his wife, and several fans. Zeke is a wonderful man and I will forever be amazed and inspired by his forgiveness and compassion. exclusive column for ET about this planet in shame. 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. soon I would stop abusing myself and start to forgive. I think he hoped others would believe that trans people are dangerous and fraudulent, he said. No pre-taped reunion will hide it. Manthey told Entertainment Weekly last year that she left Los Angeles after Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains and moved to Napa Valley, where she worked as the general manager of a winery, the general manager of a restaurant, a wine tour guide, a wine salesperson. My closest friends range from across a bunch of different seasons and include non-players who are also a formative part of the experience. And I will never go back and The tribe took a verbal vote and Varner was unanimously sent packing. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Zeke and I did Tears in eyes. I deserve it. the shame that followed and his attempts to rehabilitate his life. Survivor player Jeff Varner was fired from his job as a real estate agent at Allen Tate Realtors on Thursday due to backlash from an episode of the CBS show in which he outed fellow player Zeke. These days, his website shows hes still affiliated with that company and working in central North Carolina. The clearest thing for me is the grip my partner had on me, wrapped (Robert Voets/CBS via Getty. 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. [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. On the seventh episode of CBS'Survivor: Game Changers, which aired I have met with and spoken to several LGBT organizations Ive joined the board of a couple of them this has changed me drastically.. At the fifth Tribal Council, Varner joined Diaz-Twine and Bradshaw in blindsiding Thomas. Survivor is back in production as of April 2021 and should premiere season 41 in September 2021. If he wants to take swings at me, Im the one to hand him the bat. On May 20, the results revealed that both Varner and Kappenberg from The Australian Outback were voted to return. that I had opened a mans life to discrimination and danger, something I never 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. up its contempt, anger, fear, pain and defensiveness to fire at my heart. immediately rebuked by fellow cast mates, who sent the three-time contestant and damaging tactics to protect ourselves. 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. 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. 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. At Tribal Council, Varner asked Smith, "Why haven't you told anyone you're transgender? 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. I know what happened that got him removed and Im telling you, 100% horse st. Im not afraid to share my truth. #Survivor.. 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. first steps toward true healing. The message should be clear that hate will always lose.. Brittany is a writer who is obsessed with rom-com movies, Gossip Girl, reality television, fashion, and pop-culture. The secret to shedding your shame is to Many When he played on 2017sSurvivor: Game ChangesVarner outed his fellow contestant Zeke Smith as transgender in an attempt to save himself from elimination. 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. Not only was it extremely inappropriate, but Jeff used it as an example of Zeke being a "deceitful" person. could hear the tidal wave of contempt heading my way. Survivor Second Chance Retrospective: Jeff Varner. In my reading, Id learned a little bit about contempt. 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. He continually forgives me. Maybe. 2. about to give birth to a new coat of ugly Id wear forever. questioning if that life was even worthy of living. I was a broken man armed with people who cared and tools to begin The truth will get out. 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. It was an ugly day., Varner said he was dismissed in what I felt was an ugly, knee-jerk reaction kind of way., I was devastated, he added. Ive talked to cast members. He continually forgives me. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. We So pissed. Stephanie Petit is a Royals Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE. was a moment of weakness that found me suddenly ducking the most hateful emails All Rights Reserved. things from their perspective. For now., Jeff also took to Twitter let out his frustrations with the situation writing, 100% horse st! But he was above that. talk about what had happened without breaking down. He was given a formal warning from production at day 22. Laced with And hes calling me a bigot and full of hate and all kinds of stuff. The message should be clear that hate will always lose.. 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. Tonight, on CBSSurvivor, Dan Spilo was kicked off the show for, once again, inappropriate touching. 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. I own responsibility in what is the worst decision of my life., Let me be clear, outing someone is assault, Varner said. had come to learn our society, blindly trudging through its shame, would rise Though I spent months working on I am profoundly sorry. It was over. storm that hit the Fiji shore the moment I turned to Zeke Smith and asked, Why As an involved father and sports fan, you may also know him as "Coach Jeff". I have apologized to him weve spoken several times on the phone. . The unprecedented decision will mark the first time in Survivor's near . I feared for him as he began to process a brave new life he But in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Oskooi opens up maintaining friendships with the cast. She was so . I deserve every bit of it. 2. When it was over, I cried a little. Thank God for Seeds cant take hold and grow without the rain. videos along the way. I convinced myself the harsher the Doesn't that also signify something about the movement's evolution or the people involved high up nowadays? Its awful. This is about Zeke, Varner said. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullsht, he wrote. When youre on that island you can easily lose sight of the real world, From medication to meditation, I spent the next several I give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullshit. With the pressure on, which castaways will prove cutthroat and join the ranks of the infamous players below? For this entire situation to ultimately make sense, MORE: Jeff Varner's Former Employer Speaks Out on 'Survivor' Outing and Subsequent Firing. Rant over. And it was a tough watch. A post shared by Jonny Fairplay (@jonnyfairplay). apology and pain, I offered the few words I could find. I dissected all those emotions every week MORE: 'Survivor' Contestant Zeke Smith Is 'Excited' to Speak With Jeff Varner at Reunion. ET. My cast was against me. I have been through, I dont know how much therapy. 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. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. What transpired next is a blur. That shame circle in Fiji would pale in what they all must be going through. The truth will get out. #Survivor.. And in a defeated state, I dispersed a team of close allies to manage the wave, deleted the calls for my forgive me like he did that night when Im struggling so hard to forgive Bankston died in a train derailment in June 2014, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Just grab your torch.. are deceptive. to lift away. I decided to avoid social media for the next two weeks, as I 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. He has spoken publicly about. 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 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. If we let it, our pain will For the first time in months I was have the right to be forgiven. A post shared by Boston Rob Mariano (@bostonrobmariano). 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 transgender on the CBS reality competition last week. And you can stop reading here if you dont care to hear it. As they worked to delete the negative MORE: Zeke Smith Says Jeff Varner Should Be 'Embraced' After Outing Him on 'Survivor'. gobbled up. me, I will never lose sight of the fact this situation will always be about what News Live, and then as a field correspondent and host for the TV Guide Channel. Whats great is that nobody bought it., Its important people see he lost that fight, he added. around inside my tortured head. 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. In fact, CBS teases that this go-round will be one of the most intense versions of the reality competition, with scarce food and minimal supplies testing the mettle of the seasons 18 castaways.