'Let's Make a Deal Host' Wayne Brady Comes Out as Pan in Interview, Instagram Musical Number

Wayne Brady, star of Broadway's "Kinky Boots" and host of the popular game show "Let's Make a Deal," came out as pansexual in a lengthy exclusive interview with People Magazine, quipping to the publication that he's "Bisexual – with an open mind!"

His family have an open mind, too, offering him acceptance. Brady's ex-wife, Mandie Taketa, told People Mag that after he came out to her – she was the first person he told – her reply was, "'Great.' As I knew coming out would help him be happier."

CNN noted that the performer and game show host also came out on Instagram, where he posted, "I advocate mental health for all and a part of that is self transparency. In doing my work, I've come to see a few truths, one of them being that I want to be free to love whomever I want."

Wayne's words were included with a video that amounted to a joyous LGBTQ+ musical number with dancers striking poses, unfurling a Pride flag, and Wayne himself donning an extravagant wig.

Wayne's post added: "This truth makes me Pan and part of the Igbtq+ family," before going on to say that coming out was "scary as hell."

Even so, "A 'real man' in my eyes, isn't afraid to be honest and happy," the post went on to conclude. "From now on, I'll be over here living my best life!"

Chatting with People Mag, Brady explained that he "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. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place."

"By definition, pansexual is the sexual, romantic or emotional attraction towards people of all genders, regardless of their gender identity," The Hollywood Reporter said in a writeup about Brady's coming out.

"I took pan to mean that 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," he said.

Brady disclosed how the death of fellow comic Robin Williams in 2014 "set me on my path to self-discovery."

"After Robin's death, I got involved in certain groups, like Glenn Close's group, Bring Change to Mind, being very vocal about mental health," Brady said.

"Once I opened that door to myself, though," Brady went on to say, "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 wanna deal with."

His mental health journey brought him to explore his issues with what he called "love addiction," and how he was left "recently asking myself the question: 'Wayne, um, are you gay?'"

The answer to that, he determined, was no... and yet: "I've also been attracted to certain men in my life, but I've always pushed that aside because of how I was raised, and because I live in today's world, and it's scary as s--t," Brady confided.

While dealing with what he called a "shame cake, just eating it every single day," Brady said, he rationalized staying in the closet because "nobody needs to know my personal business. The world can absolutely go without knowing that Wayne identifies as pan.

"But that gave me license to still live in the shadows and to be secretive," the actor and comedian said. "I had to break that behavior."

Now he has. Having shed the confines of the closet, Brady said, he "can be the best dad that 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!"

The day can't be far away, though, when Brady does find love. After all, he told the magazine, "I love all people equally, and now that includes myself."

Viewers will soon be seeing more of Brady and his family. People Mag noted that "Brady, Maile, and Taketa – along with Taketa's partner Jason Fordham – are filming a reality series about their blended family, set to premiere on Hulu next year."

"Taketa and Fordham welcomed a new baby in 2021, and Brady is considered a co-parent," the magazine added.