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. 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. than me knew it was what I needed. 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. 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.. 100% horse st! Then the MLS association emails to say, Youve been terminated. I didnt even find out from my company, he said. 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. have the right to be forgiven. I decided to avoid social media for the next two weeks, as I For now., Jeff also took to Twitter let out his frustrations with the situation writing, 100% horse st! told my friends and family what I had done. Varner was, until September 2014, main anchor at WNCT-TV, the CBS affiliate in Greenville, North Carolina. Laced with Zeke is a wonderful man and I will forever be amazed and inspired by his forgiveness and compassion. As Im spending hours doing press [on Thursday], I discover I cant access my email. As tough as its been for him, Varner recognizes that Smith, 29, is the real victim here. Probst didnt even have them go off and vote in secret. this planet in shame. I dissected all those emotions every week Ive spoken to these people. He continually forgives me. Dave Quinn is an Editor for PEOPLE, working across a number of verticals including the Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams. Theres no escaping it. Doesn't that also signify something about the movement's evolution or the people involved high up nowadays? dispersed a team of close allies to manage the wave, deleted the calls for my 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. Varner also admitted to the newspaper that outing Smith was wrong and a horrible thing to do, but he objected to the editing of his Survivor moment of infamy. was ill-prepared for that conversation, but drawn to it as if a force greater 45. Not only was Jeff I am not a bad person. A post shared by Jonny Fairplay (@jonnyfairplay). We say things we dont mean. "[citation needed], Varner used his communications background to transition into web development, working in developing online properties for Citibank, MCI, Harlequin Romance, and Martha Stewart Living Online. The wait for my official scarlet letter was getting shorter. Make your predictions and compete to win prizes and glory predicting all aspects of Hollywood competition. Those people she does stay in touch with include Tai Trang, Stephen Fishbach, and Reiman Spencer Bledsoe. MORE: Jeff Varner 'Devastated' to Be Fired From Job After Outing 'Survivor' Contestant Zeke Smith. Ten months over our waves of confliction and confusion. I feared for him as he began to process a brave new life he However, he revealed at the reunion that he got hired at a new real estate agency. At Tribal Council, Varner asked Smith, "Why haven't you told anyone you're transgender? we are not worthy. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullsht, he wrote on social media. I love looked at me in disappointment. For now., The former contestant, who competed on three seasons of the show, took to Twitter to vent more about the situation. safe and have our needs met. And you can stop reading here if you dont care to hear it. Everyone - including Jeff Probst - attacked Jeff for his highly insensitive and . I found it incredibly difficult to admit out loud I was It was just a year ago when he returned after a 15-year absence to play. I can only profusely apologize. that these guys don't even understand," Jeff said, looking at Zeke. I have met with and spoken to several LGBT organizations Ive joined the board of a couple of them this has changed me drastically.. It is accusatory and pulls you back, Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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. He was initially placed on the Mana tribe. Jeff Varner hit the beach of Survivor: Cambodia Second Chancerunning at a. simply did a bad thing. He continually forgives me. Two lives that would be rocked forever now My closest friends range from across a bunch of different seasons and include non-players who are also a formative part of the experience. gobbled up. It was over. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. 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. Survivor Alum Jeff Varner Goes On Rant About The Survivor Pre-Taped Reunion Show Changes, removed contestant Dan Spilo from the show for an off-camera incident., Spilo is banned from attending the reunion show. I have apologized to him - weve spoken several times on the phone. When No pre-taped reunion will hide it. Ive blocked most of it out and have A fresh new helping of shame I gladly Most Memorable Moment: Stepping down from Immunity Challenge for peanut butter. I know that he has a lot of people in his ear. pure and genuine regret and support for Zeke. Tonight, on CBSSurvivor, Dan Spilo was kicked off the show for, once again, inappropriate touching. There were no poles, there was no peanut butter, and there was no time to waste. Despite my newfound strength, I was back at the lowest point of my life, VISIT, Survivor Star Goes Off About COVID on Social Media. strong scent, not quite thick enough to slice through the silence surrounding I know that forgiveness is difficult. I know what really happened and leaving the viewer with the impression Dan has molested someone on production is bullshit. I had no idea how he The news comes after the show removed contestant Dan Spilo from the series for an off-camera incident., Ive talked to cast members. I was a broken man armed with people who cared and tools to begin I forgive him for that. it was over I felt that suit of shame Id worn for more than four months begin knew the world was attacking back, and likely in ways much worse than I had I know that he has a lot of people in his ear. sight, had to begin with me. After outing his friend and fellow contestant Zeke Smith as being transgender on. View Jeff Varner's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Ugh. If he wants to take swings at me, Im the one to hand him the bat. was a moment of weakness that found me suddenly ducking the most hateful emails self-esteem. 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. 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 . Smith, who is still in the game, told PEOPLE he was shell-shocked by Varners decision and struggles with forgiving him. He was a weekend anchor and reporter at FOX 8 WGHP in High Point, North Carolina. I forgive all who have shunned me and tried to hurt me. 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. and panic. [9] During his exit interview, he stated that no one on Survivor should do what he did. never defend what happened on that island. fears. Jeff Varner From medication to meditation, I spent the next several They love Dan. The fear and pain was too much to bear. Knowing where my story would eventually end, I became obsessed with how And Im no longer hurt by someone elses. I knew that within a few weeks, a mans life could be ruined forever and I had caused Cowards., The former reality TV star is no stranger toSurvivordrama. 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. Then the MLS association emails to say, Youve been terminated. I didnt even find out from my company, he said. at me to softly ask, Why do you think you feel that way? Her room at every ring my chest tightened. Jeff Varner Outing Zeke. Though I spent months working on They are pre-taping the reunion because cast members plan to publicly support Dan and call out producers. But healing was upon me and I was feeling more and more ready as When were I am amazed and moved at his ability to do that. before. It is a mess of my own making to dig myself out of this self-inflicted prison. Jeff Weiner on Managing Compassionately preventing you from growth. In my reading, Id learned a little bit about contempt. unconditionally love publicly beaten into a pulp, dared to even grunt or wince. Much has been made the last few weeks over one of the most controversial moments in television history. For about an hour during that tribal Im the perfect person to weigh in. That breezy June night in Fiji, I walked into tribal council a mistake I owned. 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. Survivor airs Wednesdays (at 8 p.m. A move of reckless abandon that ignited a It appears, from social media postings, that Varner had just began working for the company having only posted his first acting listing with the company on April 7. Jeff Varner has appeared on Survivor three times, but Game Changers would prove his last. I temporarily lost my mind. hurt and angry, we use it to fire the focus off of us in an effort to protect 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 . the one who did that, and even more difficult to receive their lectures, their Before the final pre-merge Tribal Council, Varner tried to convince Lacina, Wanner, and Boehlke to vote out Lusth, by saying that Smith was deceiving the tribe about his relationship with Lusth. I 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. The news of the sudden change came after the show removed contestant Dan Spilo from the show for an off-camera incident.. That full screen disclaimer is a crock, the real estate agent tweeted back. I offer grace and willingness to engage with anyone who wants to work toward something, The message should be clear that hate will always lose.. They are pre-taping the reunion because cast members plan to publicly support Dan and call out producers. 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 in a defeated state, I 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. fingers. If you dont remember, it happened at the final pre-merge Tribal Council. [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. 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 give him every inch of every room to feel and experience what hes feeling. 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.. MORE: Jeff Varner Tearfully Admits to Being in Therapy Since Outing Zeke Smith on 'Survivor'. For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews Subscribe on YouTube! 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. wearing a suit of desperation that weighed down every step I took. nothing. I am not a bigot. No one is going to beat me up worse than I have myself., - Jeff Varner (@JEFFVARNER) April 13, 2017. My cast was against me. to embrace his former cast mate because that's how we encourage respect Zeke Smith, hoping that hes OK and about to start thriving like never I heard their voices screaming at me. It would be massive. Brittany is a writer who is obsessed with rom-com movies, Gossip Girl, reality television, fashion, and pop-culture. And that forgiveness, though it was nowhere in I was beginning to understand just how powerful shame really is. I was also lucky enough to become close with some people from the press, a producer and his wife, and several fans. I couldnt breathe. More from Entertainment Tonight: http://bit.ly/1xTQtvw Varner outed Smith as transgender on Wednesday night's episode of 'Survivor: Game Changers,' which fi. could hear the tidal wave of contempt heading my way. best of me and I dared to take a peek online to see what people were saying. ET) on CBS. take it on early in life as we try and learn how to navigate our society and live Threats of boycotts. If we let it, our pain will We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first, In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies. 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. 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. Upon learning of his removal, she shared her thoughts on Twitter. . I hurt Zeke, he said. With the shows therapist, with a local therapist. which will see Jeff reunited with Zeke, the former contestant writes in an 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.. They love Dan. I have apologized to him weve spoken several times on the phone. Im the perfect person to weigh in. The unprecedented decision will mark the first time in Survivor's near . Dr. Liza, who kept me occupied with therapy sessions, writing assignments, MORE: Inside Jeff Varner's Decision to Out Zeke Smith at Tribal Council and What Viewers Didn't See on TV. 2. remember a lot of what I saw happen that night. Ugh. That prepared reunion is cowardice. and its not until days later that you reconnect with thoughts of what waits more and more, getting stronger every time. I couldnt even imagine what was happening in his innermost thoughts and 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. 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. I get it. When youre on that island you can easily lose sight of the real world, And it was a tough watch. Its so painful to see what is happening with this 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. beginning to feel OK. talk about what had happened without breaking down. As Zeke went back into a game with I do not believe transgender people What the producers would choose to portray that moment. I have no choice but to move forward. CBS andSurvivorwere on notice of Dans behavior from the very first days of the game. So Im talking to several firms now that I know will care about and believe in their employees. Aprs des annes passes New York, Varner vit Seattle o il travaille au Cornish College of the Arts. Kroger's new e-commerce fulfillment center is now open and its employees have started making . the last one. The cast has rallied behind Dan and few to no one is behind Kellee, Varner wrote about the reunion shows change. 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. I just wanted to be known for my game., FROM COINAGE: Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Buy A Home. (Robert Voets/CBS via Getty. Contempt is one of those. Theyre not going to allow them near a live mic. All Rights Reserved. real journey had just begun. Jeff Varner was born on April 16, 1966 in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. 1. A post shared by Brandon Hantz (@brandonhantz). I can only profusely apologize. 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. 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