Pop Culture

Wayne Brady Shares How Coming Out as Pansexual Impacted His Dating Life: 'I'm Not Hiding Anything Now'

The 51-year-old actor and comedian is opening up about how his dating life has changed since coming out as pansexual last month.

Taylor Hill / FilmMagic

Wayne Brady is finally embracing his most authentic self.

The 51-year-old actor and comedian came out as pansexual last month and is shedding more details on how the revelation changed his dating life.

“It would be hard for me to truly put myself 100 percent into a relationship when there’s this nagging doubt that I have not explored that piece of me, or even given voice to having that option. ... It doesn’t mean that it’s ever going to manifest itself in a relationship with a man, or a relationship with this person," Brady told Entertainment Tonight. “I don’t know, but at least being able to voice that, so that, if I go into a relationship, whomever I’m in a relationship with knows me 100 percent.”

He continued, “I think that’s the piece that was missing, that I couldn’t verbalize, 'cause I couldn’t lock on to it. I always felt this much dishonest, and if I was being dishonest, then there’s no way to truly give yourself 100 percent. Now I feel differently about that ‘cause I went, ‘Oh, well now you know. So if you were to be involved with me, you know Wayne in totality.’ I’m not hiding anything now, so now I can approach you in a way that I never have.”

However, the Whose Line Is It Anyway? alum says he’s not ready to get into a relationship anytime soon. “The best thing that I could do for myself right now and to do for someone else is not be in a relationship, is to just breathe. There are things that I want to do. … I just want to work right now. I want to continue to go to therapy, so that when I am ready to either pursue or be pursued, whomever that may be, my aim is to be my best self.”

Brady also believes that his coming out will allow him to be a more "truthful ally" for others in the community. "I have so many of my family and friends who are gay, who are lesbian, my nieces who are trans, they walk outside every day, and they live their real truth unadulterated, walking in nothing but the armor of love and themselves. Those are the brave ones. So when I look at them and I go 'Man, if by me just speaking my truth... that can help in any way, shape or form, then I'm mad I didn't do it earlier."

Wayne Brady currently hosts Let’s Make a Deal on CBS and is set to star as the Wizard in the Broadway-bound revival of the musical The Wiz. He will also be the subject of a currently untitled reality series on Hulu that is set to give viewers an inside look into the lives of his blended family, including his 20-year-old daughter Maile Brady and ex-wife and business partner Mandie Taketa.

Related Stories

pop-culture

Raven-Symoné Tells Whoopi Goldberg She Gave Her 'Lesbian Vibes' During Their Time on 'The View'

Goldberg said that she's been asked if she's a lesbian throughout her entire career.

Joe Price986 days ago
Wayne Brady speaks into a mic.
pop-culture

Wayne Brady on Why He Still Thinks Paul Mooney's ‘Chappelle’s Show’ Joke About Him Was ‘Wack’

Brady gave a breakdown of how he sees his legacy, including its impact on younger generations of Black creatives. He also looked back on 'Chappelle's Show.'

Trace William Cowen1643 days ago
Wayne Brady and Maile Masako Brady attend "Freestyle Love Supreme" after party.
pop-culture

Wayne Brady Demands Better Tools to Prevent Preying on Underage Girls After Monitoring Daughter's DMs

Wayne Brady wants to start an initiative that will help prevent grown men from sending inappropriate DMs to underage girls on social media.

Jose Martinez2015 days ago

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App