Wayne Brady is happily “not hiding” anymore after coming out as pansexual.
The “Let’s Make a Deal” host, who publicly revealed his sexuality in an interview with People last month, told ET in an interview published Tuesday that he finally feels free to be himself ― and that he’s not worried about losing fans.
“Me coming out and saying that I may identify as pansexual still doesn’t stop me from being the dopest host on TV and doing what I do,” he told ET. “Still doesn’t stop me from being amazing at my job. In fact, if anything, I feel even better, because I’m lighter.”
That feeling of freedom also now extends to relationships, the comedian told ET.
“I think that’s the piece that was missing, that I couldn’t verbalize, ’cause I couldn’t lock on to it,” Brady told the outlet. “I always felt this much dishonest, and if I was being dishonest, then there’s no way to truly give yourself 100%.”
“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,’” he continued. “I’m not hiding anything now, so now I can approach you in a way that I never have.”
Brady told People last month that he had previously “pushed … aside” his attraction to “certain men” because of the heteronormative culture dominating his youth. The 51-year-old explained that growing up as a Black man in America taught him to dismiss his own feelings, spurring a lifelong question.
“It would be hard for me to truly put myself 100% 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,” Brady told ET.
He added: “It doesn’t mean that it’s ever going to manifest itself in a relationship with a man, or a relationship with this person. 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%.”
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Pansexuality refers to being attracted to all genders and sexes — and as Brady told People, that 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.”
The comedian previously told People he discovered this about himself while in therapy for what he believed was “love addiction.”
The “Whose Line Is it Anyway” alum told ET he’s not ready to date, however, joking that he “would not inflict me on somebody.” But he said he is certainly relieved being able to “love whomever I want no matter the vessel.”
He said he’s inspired by his own family.