Wayne Brady has come out as pansexual.
The 51-year-old American television personality, actor and comedian opened up about his sexuality and the process of how he came to terms with his identity.
In an interview with People, the Let’s Make a Deal host revealed he’s pansexual.
“I am pansexual. [I’m] Bisexual – with an open mind,” Brady said.
The How I Met Your Mother star said he’d been doing research on different types of sexualities and couldn’t determine whether he was bisexual “because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything”.
“So, I came to pansexual because – and I know that I’m completely messing up the dictionary meaning – but to me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board,” Brady said.
“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.”
In Greek, “pan” translates to “all” and therefore, the term “pansexual” can be understood as a sexual identity used to describe being attracted to people of all genders, beyond male-female parameters.
— (2022 Invision)
This can include those who identify as transgender, non-binary, intersex and more.
Brady revealed the first person he came out to was his ex-wife Mandie Taketa, who was quite supportive of her ex.
Taketa reportedly told Brady that discovering his identity was “great” for him as she “knew coming out would help him be happier”.
“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,” Brady said.
“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,” he said.
He added: “Not dating yet though! 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.”
A self-described, shy introvert, Brady mused while speaking to People that part of the reason he loved his work was because you don’t necessarily “see” him. He explained: “ I love bringing joy, which is why I love being a character: if I can do that as a character, so maybe the character is Wayne Brady.”
The actor said he has been doing a lot of soul-searching and going to therapy, especially after the death of comedy legend Robin Williams. He began to get involved in charities like Glenn Close’s Bring Change to Mind, which “opened the door” for a dialogue with himself.
“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 said.
He said he also began to question whether or not he was being his authentic true self. He “brought joy” on stage, but when he went home, there was a “love deficit”.
According to Brady, as he explored his feelings in therapy, he realised that his craving for external validation, or “love addiction,” was leading to a “soul-crushing loneliness”.
Through therapy, Brady said he was also able to unpack his internalised homophobia, telling the outlet: “I’ve always pushed that aside because of how I was raised, and because I live in today’s world, and it’s scary as s**t.”
“I had to break that behaviour,” he added.
