function onPlayerReadyVidible(e){'undefined'!=typeof HPTrack&&HPTrack.Vid.Vidible_track(e)}!function(e,i){if(e.vdb_Player){if('object'==typeof commercial_video){var a='',o='m.fwsitesection='+commercial_video.site_and_category;if(a+=o,commercial_video['package']){var c='&m.fwkeyvalues=sponsorship%3D'+commercial_video['package'];a+=c}e.setAttribute('vdb_params',a)}i(e.vdb_Player)}else{var t=arguments.callee;setTimeout(function(){t(e,i)},0)}}(document.getElementById('vidible_1'),onPlayerReadyVidible); Survivor host Jeff Probst was as shocked as viewers when contestant Jeff Varner outed fellow contestant Zeke Smith as transgender in Wednesdays episode. And not in a good way.During a tribal meeting, Varner accused Smith of deceiving the others, asking, Why havent you told anyone that youre transgender'Other castaways quickly and passionately came to Smiths defense, before voting Varner off the island.I cannot imagine anyone thinking what was done to Zeke was OK on any level, under any circumstances, Probst told Entertainment Weeklybefore the shocking moment aired on national TV.The host, who said he knew Smith was transgender shortly after casting him,voiced his complete disapproval for Varners actions, which prompted a statement from GLAAD, the LGBTQ advocacy group.As Probst told EW:In 34 seasons of Survivor, I have rarely, if ever, personally commented on what is said or done in the game. But this is a unique situation that falls outside the normal boundaries. I cannot imagine anyone thinking what was done to Zeke was OK 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 vast majority of society will feel. You just dont do that to someone.Given plenty of time between filmingSurvivor and the episodes debut, Smith has attempted to make sense of the outing. Writing in a lengthy heartfelt essay for The Hollywood Reporter that he is not wild about the reveal, and Varners reasons for it, Smith concludes that it ultimately had nothing to do with me and everything to do with him.In reality, by being Zeke the dude, I am being my most honest selfas is every other transgender person going about their daily lives, Smith wrote.Probst, who has hosted the show since its 2000 debut, believes Varner regrets his comment ' which was unprecedented in the shows history.It was one of the most raw and painful studies of human behavior that has ever happened on Survivor, the host told EW.Probst went on to praise Smiths composure after Varners comment. Making the best out of the situation, Smith said on the Wedesday night episode, Maybe theres someone whos a Survivor fan, and me being out on the show helps someone else, and so maybe this will lead to a greater good.But the host said he also worried about Varner, who had just made one of the worst decisions of his life.Varner met with the shows full-time psychologist, Probst said, in the aftermath of the incident. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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