Wayne Brady comes out as pansexual: Let’s Make A Deal star, 51, details his journey to accept his sexual orientation and ex-wife offers support
- He revealed he is ‘attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary’
- The star also admitted to doing ‘all the therapy I could do’ as part of his ‘journey’
- Brady has received support from ex-wife Mandie Taketa and daughter Maile, 20
Wayne Brady officially came out as pansexual in a new interview on Monday.
The Let’s Make A Deal star, 51 – who was previously married to actress Mandie Taketa – emotionally opened up about discovering his identity and discussed how he has received overwhelming support from his loved ones.
The TV personality shares daughter, Maile, 20, with Mandie, whom he was married to from 1999 until their divorce was finalized in 2008. He also helps co-parent Taketa’s baby boy that she shares with current partner, Jason Fordham.
Brady initially explained to the outlet that he had considered that he was possibly bisexual but expressed that he later began to identify as pansexual because, to him, ‘pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary.’
‘And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place. I took pan to mean that not only can I be attracted to any of these people or types physically, but I could be attracted to the person that is there,’ the comedian told People magazine.
Coming out: Wayne Brady, 51, officially came out as pansexual as he reflected on his road to self-discovery over the years in a new interview with People published on Monday; seen in May 2022 in NYC
Wayne revealed that he has done ‘all the therapy I could do,’ such as being ‘treated for love addiction. It’s a part of my journey. I had to start examining why I was looking for myself and happiness in a slew of people.’
Following the tragic passing of actor Robin Williams nearly 10 years ago in 2014, the star stated that he ‘got involved in certain groups, like Glenn Close’s group, Bring Change To Mind, being very vocal about mental health.’
‘And not just the buzzword of mental health, but really what do I have to do to function in this big world and still be okay with yourself and more importantly, to love yourself so that you don’t hurt yourself?’
The TV personality expressed that focusing on his mental health had a positive impact on his personal growth.
‘Once I opened that door to myself though, I had to start learning about myself, and I had to start owning up to things that maybe I’d either repressed, suppressed, or just didn’t wanna deal with,’ he stated, adding that although he found joy within work, the feeling was absent in other parts of his life.
‘But the pity is then I come home, and I don’t have that joy. I have joy because I love my daughter and I love my family. I love being a dad more than chocolate ice cream.’
Wayne continued, ‘But that can’t be my only joy. I have to love myself. And that’s when I realized that I had a problem because if I can spend everything on stage and on camera but then I come home and there is a love deficit, what is going on? That was my rock bottom.’
Brady first came out to his ex-wife, Mandie, and she revealed her initial response to the news while also talking to People. ‘I just said, “Great.” As I knew coming out would help him be happier,’ she expressed.
Self-discovery: The Let’s Make A Deal star emotionally opened up about discovering his gender identity and discussed how he has received overwhelming support from his loved ones; seen in January
His daughter, Maile, also discussed her own reaction to her father coming out, and stated, ‘I just said, “Okay.”‘ She additionally remembered having a ‘proud smile’ on her face when Wayne had told her.
Before coming out, the TV personality admitted that he had ‘dealt with the shame’ and added, ‘A shame cake, just eating it every single day — and then worried about… people finding out.’
However, he admitted that although he has a ‘wonderful community of friends who are in the LGBTQ+ community,’ he had ‘always felt like a sham because I wasn’t being forthcoming with myself.’
‘I’ve told myself in the past, also, nobody needs to know my personal business,’ and later expressed, ‘But that gave me license to still live in the shadows and to be secretive.’
‘What does that feel like to actually not be shameful, to not feel like, “Oh, I can’t be part of this conversation because I’m lying?” I had to break that behavior.’
Wayne admitted that he is still on his journey of self-growth, explaining, ‘I’m still coming together. But If I’m healthy, then I can go onstage at Let’s Make A Deal and be the best Wayne Brady that everybody wants and expects. I can be the best dad that Maile needs.’
‘I can be the best friend to Mandie, the best son to my mother, and one day, the best partner to someone, because I’m doing this for me.’
In regards to if he has entered the dating scene, Brady revealed, ‘I am single, but it’s not about being with someone right now. I’ve got some work to do still. Then, Wayne as a single, open-minded pansexual can make a decision and be free and open to other people.’
Before tying the knot with Mandie, the former Dancing With The Stars competitor was previously married to Diana Lasso from 1993 until their divorce was finalized in 1995.
He currently co-parents with Mandie to raise their daughter, Maile, and also her son, Sunny, whom she shares with partner, Jason Fordham – whom the couple welcomed via adoption in 2021.
In the past: The TV personality shares daughter, Maile, 20, with Mandie, whom he was married to from 1999 until their divorce was finalized in 2008; former couple seen in 2006
Co-parenting: He currently co-parents with Mandie to raise their daughter, Maile, and also her son, Sunny, whom she shares with partner, Jason Fordham; Wayne seen with Jason, Mandie, and daughter Maile in 2022
The star also notably lived and quarantined with his ex and her partner during the Covid pandemic and told Access Hollywood at the time, ‘We’re like this new nuclear family…’
During a past interview with Us Weekly, Brady opened up about his relationship with Taketa since their divorce and explained that the ‘secret’ to their positive co-parenting relationship is ‘time and knowing when to let things go for the greater good.’
He also gushed that his ex is ‘the most amazing woman in the world and one of the most amazing moms, I think, that has ever walked the planet. Our daughter’s proof of that and the fact that she slaps me into shape. She’s the reason I think that I’ve had the success I have.’
Last month in July, it was announced that Wayne and his family – including Mandie and Jason – will appear in an eight-episode, unscripted reality series that is slated to air on Hulu, per Variety.
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