Content Warning: the following article contains depictions of sexual harassment.
Since Survivor 41 is now airing, it’s a good time to look back at the most unforgettable scandals from the series. Survivor has become one of the most popular reality competition series, but it is not scandal-free, as tons of drama has rocked the show over the past two decades. Though it is expected that each season will come with new twists, from challenges and contestants, there are some things that have still managed to shock even the most diehard fans. Here are three of the biggest controversies to come from Survivor, and how they affected the show.
Survivor follows a group of castaways divided into tribes, who need to compete in challenges and endure harsh conditions in order to try and win the one million dollar prize. Through its plethora of seasons, Survivor has had entertaining romances, self-eliminations, dramatic medical evacuations, and countless blindsides at tribal council. Fans have seen just how much the contestants are willing to lie, cheat and steal in order to win the title of Sole Survivor. However, there have been times when they went too far.
3. Sexual Harassment On the Survivor Set
Though all contestants go through levels of background checks and psych evaluations, many Survivor cast members behaved differently on the show than they did in the outside world. The first instance of harassment came from the winner of Survivor season 1, who returned for an all-stars season. Richard Hatch crossed a line when he competed in a challenge where he would be in close proximity to other people while he was naked. He made contact with Sue Hawk, leading to an iconic monologue where Sue told host Jeff Probst that she felt violated. Her feelings led her to quit the game, and Richard was told he could not compete on Survivor: Winners at War.
Survivor did not seem to improve its vetting process, because years later, during season 39, another player was sexually harassed. Dan Spilo had a conversation with fellow Survivor player Kellee Kim, who felt he was touching her too much. He did not listen and production was forced to send out a reminder about respecting boundaries. However, Dan did not learn this all-important lesson. He was forcibly removed from the show, though not until Kellee had already been sent home due to a heart-wrenching blindside.
2. Jonny Fairplay Fakes Family Member’s Death On Survivor
Every Survivor fan knows the name, Jonny Fairplay. He is an infamous face of the franchise, although he never actually won a Survivor season. Many think of the notorious reality star as the biggest villain in Survivor history. Jonny was willing to do whatever it took to stay in the game, and while most contestants forget about strategy during the loved ones episode, Jonny used that occasion to launch one of his most diabolical plans. He got his friend to come out as his loved one and tearfully lie. On Jonny’s instructions, the pal said his grandmother had just passed away. Jonny said in the confessionals that he wanted more sympathy from the rest of his tribemates, but many fans turned against him after this shady move.
1. Zeke Smith Outed By Tribemate On Survivor
In arguably the most shocking moment in Survivor history, Zeke Smith was outed by Jeff Varner. Jeff sank very low in a bid to stay in the game. After the normal Survivor tribal talk wrapped up, Varner suddenly said that Zeke was not trustworthy. He stated that Zeke was being deceitful because he was keeping a secret from everyone else, and then told the group that Zeke is transgender. Fans and the rest of the tribe were rightfully outraged, leading to an unprecedented Survivor tribal council where no one wrote their votes. Instead, they unanimously voted Varner out on the spot. For more reality action, be sure to check out Survivor 41.
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