SURVIVOR FRONTRUNNER FALTERS

Jeff Varner, the scheming 34-year-old Internet project manager from Port Washington, N.Y. — who many pegged as the frontrunner to take home the million dollar grand prize (including original winner Richard Hatch) — became the latest contestant voted off of Survivor: The Australian Outback. Appearing on CBS's The Early Show this morning, Varner admitted the opportunity to shoot down Hatch's theory more than made up for his ouster. "He's a smug son of a bitch, and I wanted to be able on national TV to tell him he is wrong," he said. Speaking of The Early Show, CBS's struggling morning program attracted its best ratings ever last Friday when Survivor burn victim Michael Skupin appeared as a guest.