During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Zeke -- who was voted out of Survivor: Game Changers on Wednesday night -- revealed he first met Andrea several years ago while playing a day-long game called Survivor: Brooklyn in a New York City park. No chocolate chip cookies. Now, through tears, Varner, 50, speaks to PEOPLE about the events leading up to the outing, the "shame" he's been coping with since the event and what good he hopes will come from the "horrible" situation. I knew it was the right thing to say and the right thing to do. I am profoundly sorry. You make it up as you go along, and I struggled with finding the right time to disclose my gender history to those close to me. Getty Zeke Smith attends Rising Stars at the GLAAD Media Awards on May 4, 2018 at the New York Hilton. I began connecting with others in a meaningful way around the same time that my being trans stopped being a readily known fact about me. I stopped dreaming. READ NEXT: One Survivor Alum Has an Epic Idea For a Legends Season, Zeke Smith Reflects On How Jeff Probst & Survivor Handled His Transgender Outing, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. According to what Nico had to say at that time, Santos' relationship with Smith had already hit a major milestone. I ordered a bundle of bamboo poles and practiced making fire on the roof of my apartment building. Zeke Smith, who appeared on back-to-back seasons of the reality series, was revealed to be a transgender man by fellow contestant Jeff Varner in an episode that aired Wednesday night. I was invited back immediately for an all-star season, during the course of which I was maliciously outed by a former local network news anchor. Many trans people don't find it necessary to tell people, especially so long after transition. The first night we huddled together in the mud as the Fijian skies dumped buckets of rain upon us. He was very engaging, gifted in his ability to manipulate with his words, and he wore this crazy Hawaiian shirt and had poofy hair, said Probst, adding, We knew Zeke was a tremendous storyteller with an amazing ability to take a specific moment from the game or life and give it a universal perspective. A month? One of the things that breaks my heart the most is that that's one of the stigmas that trans people fight the most. Were a group of adults playing a very expensive game of make believe. Forgiveness requires hope. His studies focused upon Biblical interpretation and LGBTQ-inclusive theology. My heart is open to him today and if he is reacting in any negative way I give him the space to do that I deserve that. Zeke is a wonderful man and I will forever be amazed and inspired by his forgiveness and compassion. It was from my heart and as genuine as it could possibly be. I'm A Celeb South Africa fans praise 'survivor-style' vote out as campmates choose who gets the chop . I groped for direction, talking to kill time. But, if were being perfectly honest with one another, Ive struggled with that forgiveness in the months following. I lost control of my body, my legs bounced up and down uncontrollably, willing me to flee, but the rest of me sat dead as stone. I threw myself into preparation. It helped the healing begin, but it really couldn't start until last night. He really does, and I always keep asking myself, like, How are you a real person? Im like, Hes hot, hes a good cook, he takes care of me, hes amazing I love him so much.. My gut would tell me to fill someone in, but then panic would wash over me. Entry updated July 2, 2008. I am forever grateful that Probst gave me time to collect myself. My rookie season, Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X, instantly proved challenging. "Andrea and I knew each other before we played Survivor together. Growing up, I set big lofty goals Broadway, a high school debate championships, Harvard and pursued them doggedly. Youll compete to win bragging rights and a place of honor on our leaderboard. The moment I put that buff, the official Survivor player uniform, on my head, my confidence became real. He was eliminated on Day 33, but definitely made a huge impact on the game. Its long been my desire for Jeff Probst to reward my mastery of lying and manipulation with $1 million dollars, healso told CBS. Was Tamra Judge Ever Friends With Teresa Giudice Before Their Brutal Fight On Real Housewives Of Orange County? All my preparation paid off: I made fire with bamboo I made a fire by rubbing two damn sticks together. I deserve it. Varner told Entertainment Tonight at the time that he was so sorry for what he did to Smith and wanted to make it right if he could. But now her family is sitting down and they are talking about it and they are sympathizing with trans people. Early life. I remember the smug smirk on his face and the gleam in his eye when he turned to me and snarled, Why havent you told anyone that youre transgender? I didnt discuss my trans status in my initial video because I wanted the show to desire me as a game player and an eccentric storyteller, not as The First Trans Survivor Player. They did. My chance to re-enter appeared an opportunity to provide clarification. And there were clues here and there throughout the whole thing. Im your guy, I told Probst. And before he knew it, Zeke was filming the 34th season of the show as one of the 20 returning Game Changers., Survivor: Game Changers: Ozzy Lusth breaks all-time record for most days playing game, I remember walking into Tribal Council that night, Zeke recallsabout the night Varner outed him, which was shown to TV audienceson Wednesday, April 12. In a recent interview, two-time Survivor castaway Zeke Smith opened up about his experience on the show, including that he thinks being Jeff Probst's "pet . During Wednesday night's episode of Survivor: Game Changer . The thrill of adventure comes from accepting this risk, and the reward from confronting whatever might be thrown at you. 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. Responsibility fell upon my shoulders to right the ship that had blown perilously far off course. Just as I dont believe conservative politicians who attack trans people actually care where we use the bathroom. As the tears began flowing and host Jeff Probst looked gobsmacked, Varner was eventually eliminated by aunanimous verbal vote. Zeke Smith: I turned on Andrea Boehlke because we were friends years Survivor: Jeff Varner Fired From Job After Outing Zeke Smith - People After 18 days starving and competing with me, they knew exactly the man I am, and after that Tribal Council, we all knew exactly the man Varner is., Join the live Survivor debate going on right now in our world-famous forums. Thankfully, my tribemates rebuffed his hateful tactics. He'd later come out and began dating actorNico Santos. Zeke Smith on 'Survivor': His 5 most strategic moments from seasons 33 I needed an adventure, a jolt to my system I needed to change my life and oh boy, did I! said Smith, adding, My outing and the attention it received, and the platform I gained radically changed my lifes trajectory. On a hot night in the summer of 2015, I pondered what this test might be. I still to this day don't know why. I don't know why. From there, however, Santos poured water on the idea of getting engaged so early but he still seemed very open to the idea at some point. I was not throwing away my shot. I am and always have been the guy who tries to be teachers pet or in Survivors case, Probsts Pet, said Smith. ), 'We're Here' Drag Star Eureka O'Hara Comes Out as Trans: 'I Know Who I Am Without Question', Vicky Krieps on Embracing Her Inner Rebel for 'Corsage' : 'I Always Had Trouble Fitting In', Kim Petras on Finding Success After Being Told She'd 'Never Make It': 'Look at Me Now, Bitches! There was no plot, no plan, no anything. You don't see Zeke saying, "There is no deception. I stopped leaping. Zeke seems to take more offense to the reasoning you presented about transgender people than he did about you outing him. We're attacked a lot and I expected a lot more from Varner," Smith, 29, has told PEOPLE exclusively. Zeke Smith was born on 25 January 1988 in Brooklyn, New York, the USA. On top of that, the fact that there have never been any rumors about Santos and Smith going their separate ways makes it probable that they are still happy together. Last week's episode of Survivor: Game Changers was a big moment for Jeff Varner and Zeke Smith, but also one for the rest of the Nuku tribe -- including Ozzy Lusth. Put under Survivors high stakes, I got out of my own way and allowed myself to be the man I always hoped I would be. In his twenties, he performed with the Upright Citizens Brigade. by ; 28 kwietnia 2023 Oz characters, short forms, Survivor greats, The West Wing characters, Xeno characters. 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. Together with GLAAD, we changed millions of peoples perceptions of transgender people. On April 12, 2017, an episode of Survivor aired called What Happened on Exile, Stays on Exile. On it, Jeff Varner outed Zeke Smith as a transgender man at Tribal Council and was voted off unanimously after being blasted for blurting out something that was Smiths story to tell. Frannie Marin: 5 Things To Know About The Survivor Fan Now Competing In Season 44, Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter, Rihanna Gushes Over Baby, 11 Mos., & Pregnancy In Sweet New Met Gala Interview: 'I'm Obsessed', Gordon Lightfoot's Kids: Everything To Know About The Late Singer's 6 Children, Frannie Marin: 5 Things To Know About The Survivor Fan Now Competing In Season 44, Michelle Yeoh, Florence Pugh, & More Stars in Showstopping Black & White Looks at the 2023 Met Gala, Kendall Jenners 2023 Met Gala Look Is Very Kris Jenner Coded, What Is the STAR Interview Method? Game Changers was clearly incredible for Zeke, as he revealedon Instagram that he actuallydonated to Sandras Reality Rally campaign and the queen sent him an autographed photo! He did admit that when he returned from the show, he felt his outing hanging over him like a time bomb because he knew his life was about to radically change as soon as the season aired and for a while, he didnt know when it was going to happen because he didnt know the airdate of that particular episode. I studied religion in college, focusing specifically on LGBTQ people and the Bible. For example, some former Survivor players are wealthy and some are poor. I knew that Varners actions, though targeted at me, had nothing to do with me and everything to do with him. You don't see all of that and I understand why you don't, I'm not complaining about the editing at all, but that's what my thinking was: there was no thinking. I didn't have any expectations of how people would react. Events in his life back home drew him to seek an understanding of gay peoples place in Christianity. He recently reflected on that experience. Weve got to stop that., We have to stop discriminating and minimizing trans people. She called me right before tribal. Varner, who. When he said what he said, he changed both of our lives forever. Zeke Smith was outed as transgender by fellow contestant Jeff Varner in a shocking episode of Survivor: Game Changers on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. I still have my original notes from that meeting. Zeke Smith is known formaking some big moves on 'Survivor,' but the bravest thing he's done wasn't so public. My prowess became undeniable and, as is the fate of most who are considered the leading threat to win, I was voted out. They go to bed at 9pm. Varner's not telling the truth. There was no room for failure. In his thirties, he's in a stable relationship with his boyfriend, actor and comedian Nico Santos. It is quite another to incense bigotry toward a marginalized minority. And now if you Google trans outings, you dont get all the stories of suicides, you get my story. A week? He called on me constantly. Its one thing to lie about someone sneaking off at night to search for hidden advantages. Why did you choose to out Zeke at tribal council? Why stop now? I wrote that statement out of my own heart. ', Zeke Smith accepts GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program, At GLAAD's Rising Stars Luncheon at the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York on May 4th, Zeke Smith accepted the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program on behalf of Survivor: Game Changers, and delivered inspirational remarks to an audience of LGBTQ young people and influencers. Is Zeke From 'Survivor' Still With Nico Santos? - TheThings I cant foresee us sipping martinis together in Fire Island. The 29-year-old, who made his debut on season 33 last fall and returned for the all-star season 34 in March, was visibly shaken by the revelation. [Editor note: Season 34 began filming before season 33 aired.] Zeke Smith reflects on being outed as trans on 'Survivor' I leapt fueled solely by my belief in myself, because, well, nobody liked me very much. Meet UK's biggest royal superfans ALREADY camped on the Mall I didn't even realize I'd done anything wrong. Tai, the Chicken Whisperer, and I killed three chickens together. Hes definitely an old soul. During that event, US Weekly interviewed Santos and asked him about his relationship with Smith. Hollywood Life Debbie, the Woman with an Infinite Number of Jobs, told me about all of her jobs. 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. I'm really angry at myself and I'm profusely sorry to everybody I offended, to Zeke, all the people out there who are hurting because of me. In mid-2018, there started to be rumblings on the celebrity rumor websites claiming that Survivors Zeke Smith and Superstores Nico Santos had become a couple. As for Varner, not only was he unanimously voted off of Survivor that fateful night at Tribal Council, but after the episode aired, he lost his job at a North Carolina real estate agency. Everyones best move was unquestionably to get rid of Varner. I listened to Hamilton. Meaning, origin and history of the name Zeke - Behind the Name Now I could just play. Updated Aug 22, 2021 at 11:09am. Bio Zeke Smith Powered by. Thats why we asked him back to play a second time.. Beyond his charm and charisma, I thought I recognized a deep-seated insecurity and self-loathing, a glimpse at who I could become were I not careful. Published on April 15, 2017 03:09 PM. He was like, Were not gonna promote it, were not gonna sensationalize it, Im gonna go to bat for you. He kept every single one of those promises.. "One of my favorite stories is of a trans guy in the Air Force," explains Zeke. Hes just, I dont know. Once they became aware of those rumors, Santos and Smith took to Twitter to confirm their relationship with a little bit of humor. What if that person told other people?, Zeke first played on last seasons Millennials vs. Gen X, where he made it all the way to Day 33. These Married At First Sight Couples Shocked Fans By Staying Together On Decision Day Despite Knowing They'd Break Up. 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Im not ashamed of being trans, but I didnt want that to be my story. , Varner said he will never get over what he did. So I woke up every morning and told myself I would win. I just remember I felt two feet tall and everyone was screaming at me and shaming it. February 21, 2017, 12:00 PM. In all of the ways that I had gamed out how I would potentially talk about being trans, it was never being so dramatically outed at Tribal Council.. After Nico Santos and Zeke Smith confirmed their relationship, there was a Superstore Academy For Your Consideration Event that was held in March of 2019. Were I in the hands of a lesser leader, Im sure questions wouldve been peppered my way before I was ready to receive them. The failure I experienced made me doubt everything I once believed to be true about myself. Birth name: Rubin Zarchy: Born June 12, 1915 New York City, New York: Died: April 11, 2009 (aged 93) Irvine, California: Genres: Big band; Swing; Jazz; Occupation(s) Musician: Instrument(s) Trumpet: Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy (June 12, 1915 - April 11, 2009) was an American lead trumpet player of the big band and swing eras. Zeke, now 29, revealed in a new interview that during the April 12 episode taping, a contestant (we found out on the episode that it was Jeff Varner)on the show outed him. At the conclusion of Tribal, Jeff Varners torch was snuffed. I excelled in challenges, proving myself adept in the water and a master at puzzles. There was one post-merge Tribal where, I swear, he called on me every other person. "I'm not wild about you knowing that I'm trans," two-time show player Zeke Smith writes for THR about this week's episode. : Who will win Survivor: Game Changers? Hes BFFs with Hannah from season 33. EXCLUSIVE: Ozzy Lusth on Witnessing Jeff Varner Out Zeke Smith on Zeke Smith Wiki: Everything to Know about the "Survivor" Contestant He clearly didn't find it necessary . Tribal Council throws the question of life and death into stark relief. 'Survivor': Zeke Smith Outed as Transgender | Guest Column - The It's just so important that that's where we head. My gut would tell me to fill someone in, but then panic would wash over me. We didn't have the luxury of watching his first season. Roger Duane "Zeke" Smith (September 29, 1936 - July 22, 2016) was an American football player in the National Football League for the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants. In the seventh episode of CBS Survivor: Game Changers, castaway Zeke Smith returning for his second appearance in two seasons was outed by a fellow contestant as transgender. I think they did a good job with what they had to work with, but it's just very difficult. I'm going home. In a recent interview, two-time Survivor castaway Zeke Smith opened up about his experience on the show, including that he thinks being Jeff Probsts pet was hugely detrimental to his game the first time around but he liked how much Probst liked him and he couldnt resist those baby blue eyes and dimples. I gave up caffeine and booze. Stop spreading lies! I am NOT, I repeat, NOT25! Later it would become known that Santos and Smith met when they both were at an after-party for the GLAAD Media Awards and from there they were inseparable. Im tough as nails. It robs a strong, courageous person of their power and protection and opens them up to discrimination and danger. It was a horrible moment and I was so embarrassed. Smith said that he was very scared of being looked to as a role model for the trans community because he wasnt sure he was up to the challenge., But Im very proud of what we were able to do, he added. I've talked to Zeke on the phone several times and that's been really helpful and healthy. This season of Survivor, dubbed Game Changers for its 34 outing, had been filmed 10 months ago in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji though Varner couldnt discuss what happened until the episodes airing.