The outing of Zeke Smith as transgender by Jeff Varner on Survivor: Game Changers sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, but it's not the first time the CBS reality series has made headlines for events transpiring on or around it. There have been 34 seasons worth of shocking and scandalous moments on a show where eating bugs is encouraged.
Jeff outed Zeke during a Tribal Council meeting in front of the other remaining players and host Jeff Probst. "There is deception here. Deceptions on levels Jeff that these guys don't even understand," Jeff said, before turning to Zeke and adding: "Why haven't you told anyone that you're transgender?"
The move not only outraged other players, but viewers across the country as well.
"I didn't want to be the "Trans" Survivor player and I wanted to be Zeke the Survivor player," Zeke said. "I don't even need a cheerleader because I know I can do whatever I want to do."
Survivor has a long history of shocking moments and scandalous twists, involving everything from lying about a dead grandmother to evacuating islands because of storms. Reacquaint yourself with scandals of Survivor past in our new guide to all things shocking.
The slogan really should be "Outwit. Outplay. Shock."