Survivor 2017 - Game Changers- Season 34 - *Sleuthing - Spoilers*

I feel bad that he lost his job. He made a very despicable, vindictive and utterly stupid move and it will cost him more than he ever gambled on. IMO

Definitely not a cool thing. I don't like Varner to begin with, I never have.

However, last season i heard the rumblings about Zeke. So I think all the survivors somewhat knew already.

The point is nobody cared.

I just really hope that a person didn't lose a job if a producer planted that in his ear. To create drama. Ala the bachelor style.

I would hope they don't stoop to that level. I really hold Survivor in a much higher level.

I have never heard that about Survivor production people. They are a grade above TB as far as integrity or at least as much as reality tv can be.
Varner is not the first and will not be the last to lose his job due to a stint on reality tv. He is an adult and made a poor choice. I can not fault his employer.

He made a very poor choice. My heart hurt for Zeke.

Varner from what i have read feels completely awful too. I don't like him but I feel his apology was sincere.

It's a tough show. I kind of wish production would have intervened and did a redo.

I think his apology, when he realized what he really did, was sincere.
But as someone said--you can not unring that bell.
Maybe he was blinded by his anger, his vindictiveness, his ego. Maybe he had totally blocked out the cameras. I think probably many of the cast were aware of Zeke's trans. That however does not mean every one and their cousin knew and it was not Varner's business.
The sad thing is I do believe once Varner realized in his heart what he did, he may have actually appalled himself. The moral dilemma is horrific. Zeke probably will and has forgiven him. I wonder if Varner can forgive himself.

I think a big difference between Survivor and Bachelor franchise is Survivor is a game show, and as such needs to abide by Game Show regulations. I think that could help with the integrity of the show some. I haven't heard producers manipulate to the extreme level they do on The Bach. Idk. 

I feel badly for Varner in a way. What a tragic Survivor arch he has had. Three times, never made jury ... not really of his fault but more bad luck each time (tribal swaps not in his favor, Kimmi is an idiot + Michael Skupin fell in a fire in Outback.) Then out of pure desperation he basically does something deplorable. And now it's ruining his life.

Yes I think most knew, didn't care and just wanted to play the game.

If Zeke wanted to bring it up then so be it. I just Zeke had some say int eh editing of that episode and if he wanted it to come out to the world.

This game can F*ck you up. And make you desperate. Also with all the deprivation you go through it can make you a person you are not.

Do and say things you normally wouldn't. Sometimes I feel like its "lord of the flies."

I don't enjoy this part of survivor. Thank goodness it doesn't happen that often.

nikikass wrote:Yes I think most knew, didn't care and just wanted to play the game.

If Zeke wanted to bring it up then so be it.  I just Zeke had some say int eh editing of that episode and if he wanted it to come out to the world.  

This game can F*ck you up.   And make you desperate.  Also with all the deprivation you go through it can make you a person you are not.  

Do and say things you normally wouldn't.   Sometimes I feel like its "lord of the flies."

I don't enjoy this part of survivor.   Thank goodness it doesn't happen that often.  

I really don't think many knew (maybe some, like Varner, suspected), but it wasn't common knowledge at all on season 33 or 34. Hannah, Zeke's BFF on the show and especially now, IRL, wrote an article supporting Zeke. She said on MvGX on the island she and the rest of the cast had no clue he was trans. She found out after he came home from filming Game Changers when he confided in her. Also, you can tell by the reactions of Andrea, Sarah, Thai, Debbie, and Ozzy to a lesser extent (who is always stoic), that they were blown away and shocked at the revelation. Varner knew because, supposedly, he's an advocate for the LGTBQ community in North Carolina and is surrounded by trans people and knew the signs. I'm assuming he was tipped off by his scars or whatever. Personally, I had no clue Zeke was trans. I don't really follow Survivor gossip or message boards really. I was shocked. I'm guessing most of his tribe mates were too.

Sorry double post...

It being Varner to out Zeke is especially ironic and tragic. Back in Australia in 2001, Jeff Varner, though gay, did not want to be the "gay" survivor and did not discuss his sexual orientation on the show. For all intents and purposes he stayed in the closet while filming - though he was gay and had been out in his day to day. Really tragic that he, someone who knows first hand, raised all this hell. He knew about 1 minute after he outted Zeke how deplorable it was... but that was about 60 seconds too late.

nikikass wrote:However, last season i heard the rumblings about Zeke.  So I think all the survivors somewhat knew already.

Yeah, there were rumblings while S33 was airing but what we all have to remember is that these are filmed months in advance of that. Zeke went directly from his first season to Game Changers... about a month break in between. Game Changers was filmed several months before Zeke's first season ever aired. FWIW, S33 was filmed from April 4 to May 12, 2016. Game Changers was filmed from June 6 to July 14, 2016. S33 didn't air until September with the cast only being announced a couple weeks before. This TC was filmed on June 23 so I'm guessing production started immediately discussing how they would handle the editing of this and included Zeke in the process when he was out of the game.

We saw 14 minutes of TC... and I suspect it was much longer and even more "heated" than what we saw.

I'm sorry Varner lost his job, but he did bring it on himself by allowing himself to stoop so low about someone else's personal life.

Karma is back to his deceptive hand. IMHO

Zeke wrote a column about the event, and about how he came to go on Survivor. It is long, but I find it both interesting and important.

This in particular:

But in calling me deceptive, Varner invoked one of the most odious stereotypes of transgender people, a stereotype that is often used as an excuse for violence and even murder. In proclaiming "Zeke is not the guy you think he is" and that "there is deception on levels y'all don't understand," Varner is saying that I'm not really a man and that simply living as my authentic self is a nefarious trick. In reality, by being Zeke the dude, I am being my most honest self — as is every other transgender person going about their daily lives.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/survivor-zeke-smith-outed-as-transgender-guest-column-991514