Jeff Varner says there was no excuse for outing fellow Survivor: Game Changers contestant Zeke Smith as transgender in this week’s episode.
But the veteran musician insists that context behind his invasive question at Tribal Council was much clearer in the unedited footage.
The 50 -year-old went on SiriusXM’s Entertainment Weekly Radio on Thursday and has pointed out that he has been changed “drastically” by the mortifying incident.
Varner said he has been through “I don’t know how much therapy” after getting voted off small island developing, and commended Smith for his repeated forgiveness.
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Still, the former realtor wishes the CBS series releases “unedited footage” of the accident to uncover the moments leading up to his awful investigation to Smith, “Why haven’t you told anyone here you’re transgender? “
Varner explained that he was trying to paint Smith as “deceitful, ” and the edited footage didn’t catch the contender telling “there is no deception, I’m not cheating anyone” right before Varner’s question “just came out.”
Needless to say, the pointed question shook the entire tribe — including Jeff Probst, who was so taken back by the moment that his brain “had to rewind and play it back.”
The longtime host told EW he was also outraged by the question, branding the accident as “one of the most raw and painful learns of human behavior that has ever happened on Survivor.” He shared:
“I cannot suppose anyone thinking what was done to Zeke was okay on any level, under any circumstances, and certainly not simply because there was a million dollars on the line. I think the response from the tribe, as it so often does, mirrors what the great majority of society will seem. You just don’t do that to someone.”
True that, Jeff.
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As disappointed as he was in Vernon, Probst was equally as impressed with Smith’s touching, eloquent reaction. He continued 😛 TAGEND
“I was still blown away by how he managed the entire situation. It was as if “hes having” been preparing for this absolutely unpredictable, entirely public, and improbably vulnerable instant for his entire life. His calmnes was astounding I was also very impressed with the tendernes Zeke presented Varner. I wonder if some people will say he shouldn’t have hugged him or shouldn’t have forgiven him.”
As for the shamed trans outer, Probst hopes Verner reads from this terrible act, adding 😛 TAGEND
“There is hope that something good can come from this. That would be my wish that Varner will confiscate this as an opportunity to be a catalyst for positive change by owning his mistake and moving forward in a new direction.”
Who knew reality tv could be so educational? Find out what Varner learned from this harrowing experience( below )!
[ Image via CBS .]
