
Zeke Smith
Jeff Varner, a former news anchor and real estate agent from North Carolina, spent last week giving apologetic interviews about outing Zeke Smith.
Smith was the first out transgender Survivor contestant. Varner outed him during tribal council in an attempt to paint him as deceptive, asking:
“Why haven’t you told anyone you’re transgender?”
On this season of Game Changers, Smith and Varner and their competitors were all vying for another chance at the million dollar prize. Varner has since said he regrets the low blow. Smith still appears in future episodes of show. Varner said in a statement on Twitter.
“Yep. I did that. And I offer my deepest, most heartfelt apologies to Zeke Smith, his friends and life allies, his family and to all those who my mistake hurt and offended.”
The real estate agency he worked for reportedly let him go because he is
“in the middle of a news story that [they] don’t want anything to do with.”
(That might sound slightly transphobic.) Varner had just launched his real estate career at the beginning of this year, getting hired on by Greensboro’s Tyler Redhead & McAlister real-estate firm shortly after getting his real estate license last December. Kristen Haynes at TRM, said at the time.
“We’re really excited to have him. He’s got an incredible personality and he’s a really smart guy. It’s been a whirlwind. He’s already getting a lot of calls.”
He is no longer listed on their website. Guess playing the Game hard doesn’t always work out.
(via LGBTQ Nation)