Wayne Brady Comes Out as Pansexual and Opens up About His Self-Discovery Journey

Wayne Brady has an important update to share. As PEOPLE reported, the Let’s Make a Deal host revealed that he is pansexual. In a moving conversation with the publication, Brady recounted his coming out journey and why he felt the need to keep this side of himself hidden for so long. 

PEOPLE noted that they spoke with Brady at his home in Malibu Canyon and that his ex-wife, Mandie Taketa, and daughter, Maile, were by his side as he opened up about his story. Brady explained that Taketa was actually the first person that he came out to after doing some research on sexuality. He explained that he feels most comfortable identifying as pansexual because, to him, “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. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place.”

Brady stated that he has been attracted to men at times, but that he didn’t pursue anything because of his upbringing and the state of the world. The TV host said about experiencing an attraction to men, “So, what does it mean if I feel something? I don’t think I’m gay, but what if I feel something for another [man]… That’s still gay. I was already bullied about a bunch of other s–t. I didn’t wanna add a top hat on top of that suit.”

Brady has been a major supporter of the LGBTQ community. But, he shared that he’s “always felt like a sham” because he wasn’t being completely forthcoming about his own sexuality with others, or with himself. The 51-year-old said,  “I could speak out about Black issues because I can’t hide that. And you can play at being an ally, but until the day that you can truly say, ‘This is who I am, and I wanna stand next to you,’ that’s not… I always wanted that day to come.”

While he noted that he’s not dating right now, Brady is thankful that he can be the best and truest version of himself. He also stressed that he still has “work” to do on this self-discovery journey so that he can be a “single, open-minded pansexual can make a decision and be free and open to other people.”