Wayne Brady Talks the Importance of Coming Out & Mental Health

Wayne Brady, the charismatic star we all know from Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Let’s Make a Deal, is back with a new show, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix. Premiering on July 24 at 10:00 p.m. EDT on Freeform and available the next day on Hulu, this show promises to peel back the curtain […] The post Wayne Brady Talks the Importance of Coming Out & Mental Health appeared first on Gayety.

Mark

Jul 25, 2024 - 20:00

0 1

Wayne Brady Talks the Importance of Coming Out & Mental Health

Wayne Brady, the charismatic star we all know from Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Let’s Make a Deal, is back with a new show, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix. Premiering on July 24 at 10:00 p.m. EDT on Freeform and available the next day on Hulu, this show promises to peel back the curtain on Brady’s extraordinary life.

The Real Wayne Brady

Brady, the ultimate entertainer, opens up about his journey of coming out as pansexual last year. In August, the Whose Line Is It Anyway? star shared an emotional post full of singing and confetti on TikTok, declaring, “I want to be free to love whomever I want.”

“This truth makes me Pan and part of the LGBTQ+ family. It’s scary as hell to say out loud but here it is. The people I admire the most are the ones brave enough to be themselves unapologetically. This shouldn’t shake anyone’s world, but if it bothers you at all, that’s your business: I was so afraid of having my manhood questioned, but screw that. A ‘real man’ in my eyes, isn’t afraid to be honest and happy. From now on, I’ll be over here living my best life! I love you.”

Brady further elaborates on his decision, emphasizing the importance of living authentically for himself and the broader community. “I don’t think that coming out is a necessity,” he says. “But for me personally, I needed to for my own mental health because if you live with a secret…the mental drain and the unhappiness that you go through, it’s not worth it.

“So I didn’t come out for anybody. I came out for me because I knew that it would allow me to operate in a different way, which would allow me to be mentally healthy.”

Family First

Brady’s unique family dynamic is at the heart of Wayne Brady: The Family Remix. He remains best friends with his ex-wife, best friend, and business partner, Mandie Taketa. Together, they co-parent their 21-year-old daughter, Maile Brady, an aspiring artist and student. Mandie’s life partner since 2009, Jason Fordham, manages the family’s cinematography and post-production, and together they have an almost 3-year-old son, Sundance-Isamu.

Maile shares that her father’s coming out hasn’t changed who he is. “He’s the same person. He is exactly the same,” she says. “If anything, whether correlation equals causation, he is really in this fashion era right now. That’s a bigger difference. But otherwise, he’s the same person.”

Mandie praises Brady’s resilience and talent. “Wayne is a superhero. I feel like he’s just untouchable. He’s the most talented person I’ve ever witnessed in my entire life,” she exclaims, reflecting the admiration and love that surrounds Brady.

Defining Family

Jason’s perspective on family adds depth to the series. “Family is today. I think it’s one of the most radical ideas you can construct and live into,” he says. “It means a safe space where you’re supported and you can sort of really unfold.”

His words emphasize the importance of support and love in a family, especially during transformative times. “With support, we can’t do anything by ourselves…family means the ground to really bloom into whoever you are,” Jason adds.

A New Chapter

Wayne Brady: The Family Remix is more than just entertainment; it celebrates family, identity, and the courage to live one’s truth. By sharing his story, Brady is reshaping his narrative and paving the way for greater representation and acceptance in the entertainment world.