Wayne Brady is learning to embrace his whole self.
In an interview with People magazine published Monday, the actor and TV host revealed he identifies as pansexual. Pansexuality is a sexual orientation under the LGBTQ umbrella that refers to individuals who are attracted to others regardless of their gender identity.
“Pan means being able to be…attracted across the board. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place,” Brady told the outlet. “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 “Whose Line Is it Anyway?” star said his coming out journey was an extension of the self-discovery he found through his mental health advocacy work, which he said was inspired by the death of actor Robin Williams in 2014.
“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 want to deal with,” Brady said. “I gave joy at work. But the pity is then I come home, and I don’t have that joy.”
“I have to love myself,” Brady continued. “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 said while he’s experienced same-sex attraction in the past, he has “never dated a man.” He was previously married to Mandie Taketa, with whom he shares 20-year-old daughter Maile, as well as Diana Lasso.
“I’ve always pushed that aside because of how I was raised and because I live in today’s world, and it’s scary,” Brady said. “What’s the fastest way to hurt another man? … I’m going to call you gay. I’m going to emasculate you.”
What is pansexual?What to know about the LGBTQ label.
The “Let’s Make a Deal” host added that he felt shame for not being able to be open about his queer identity and stand in solidarity with his “wonderful community of friends who are in the LGBTQ+ community.”
“I’ve told myself in the past, also, nobody needs to know my personal business. The world can absolutely go without knowing that Wayne identifies as pan,” Brady said. “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.”
Despite his personal breakthrough, Brady said he’s not in a hurry to rev up his love life.
“I am single, but it’s not about being with someone right now. I’ve got some work to do still,” Brady said. “Then, Wayne as a single, open-minded pansexual can make a decision and be free and open to other people.”
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Contributing: David Oliver, USA TODAY
