Embracing a journey of self-discovery, Wayne Brady announced Monday that he identifies as pansexual.
In an interview with People, the 51-year-old opened up about his evolving understanding of his sexuality and his battle with a “love addiction.”
“I am pansexual,” Brady shared, clarifying that his attraction extends beyond gender or sex, adding, “Bisexual—with an open mind!”
In his quest to comprehend his identity, the Let’s Make A Deal host grappled with the term “bisexual,” feeling it didn’t wholly capture his experience. “Pansexual” resonated with him as it encompassed his attraction to individuals across the spectrum of gender identities and orientations.
Brady’s introspective journey was catalyzed by Robin Williams‘ tragic suicide in 2014, igniting his advocacy for mental health awareness. He candidly shared, “There’s a lot of therapy that I’m doing right now. I wish I didn’t care what people think of me, but the fact of the matter is, I do care.”
Brady — who was married to Diana Lasso from 1993 to 1995 and later married Mandie Taketa in 1999, divorcing in 2007 — is “now trying to be the most Wayne Brady I can be.”
“I don’t know about most, actually. I’m still coming together. But If I’m healthy, then I can go onstage at Let’s Make A Deal and be the best Wayne Brady that everybody wants and expects,” he said. “I can be the best dad that [daughter] Maile needs. I can be the best friend to Mandie, the best son to my mother, and one day, the best partner to someone, because I’m doing this for me.”
“Not dating yet though,” he adds with a laugh. “I’ve got some work to do still. Then, Wayne as a single, open-minded pansexual can make a decision and be free and open to other people.”
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