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Wayne Brady Shares Why He Waited This Long To Come Out About His Sexuality To His Ex-Wife
Wayne Brady talked about his sexuality and the relationship dynamics with his ex-wife and daughter while promoting their show, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix. Read on.
The comedian and host Wayne Brady and his blended family, featuring his ex-wife Mandie Taketa, their daughter Maile, and Mandie’s current partner Jason Michael Fordham, star in a reality show, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix. This will show their relationship dynamics and what goes on in their lives.
The announcement of the show created quite a buzz among internet users. But what stirred it up was Brady’s revelation about his sexuality. He opened up about his sexual identity and explained why it took him so long to come out to his ex-wife and business partner, Mandie Taketa.
Why did Wayne Brady decide to keep his sexuality a secret?
On ET’s Spilling the E-Tea, talking about what took Wayne so long to come out to his ex-wife Mandie, the comedian said, "The answer is easy—because I didn't know! Like, I didn't know what it was even called.” Brady and Mandie got married in 1999 and then divorced 17 years ago. However, they remained very good friends over the years and even shared a business partnership.
Wayne further claimed, "It's not like I had this secret that I was sitting on and at night I was pansexual Batman going out. I didn't know what it was called because I think that we've come so far with the lexicon with those terms, right? And understanding and acceptance. Because back in the day, it was very much, 'Well, are you gay and are you not?'"
Wayne’s struggles to find his sexuality
He continued by explaining that it has been a challenging and ongoing struggle to understand that sexuality isn't limited to just attraction to men or women; it's not black and white. He spoke about the long journey of self-discovery, therapy, and fighting against self-hatred influenced by societal norms passed down through generations.
Wayne Brady also admitted that he was on a “shame train,” unsure of how to get off. He felt conflicted about coming out, worried about appearing crazy or different. This is why it took him so long to reveal his truth.
When Mandie asked if Wayne had ever been nervous about discussing his sexual identity with her, the host and comedian acknowledged that he was. He expressed his fear that revealing his secret would lead to abandonment by his family and further shame. Despite his concerns, Mandie was the first person to learn about Brady’s sexuality.
Wayne Brady identifies himself as pansexual
In a 2023 interview with PEOPLE, Wayne Brady talked about his pansexuality and shared, "In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn't say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything.”
He further continued “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.” He found solace in being pan, as that means he can be attracted not only to any people or types physically but also to the person they are.
Wayne Brady: The Family Remix can be watched on Freeform or streamed on Hulu. Let us know your thoughts about this whole scenario.
ALSO READ: The Family Remix Trailer: Wayne Brady Lets Fans Into His Personal Life With His New Reality Show
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