Wayne Brady on Delaying a Decade to Come Out as Pansexual to Ex-Wife Mandie

Wayne Brady is opening up about why he kept his sexuality a secret for years, not just from the public but also from his closest loved ones.

In a recent conversation with his blended family, including his ex-wife Mandie Taketa, their daughter Maile, and Mandie’s life partner Jason Michael Fordham, Brady discussed his sexuality and their unique family dynamic. They all participated in a new episode of “Spilling the E-Tea,” a segment designed to shed light on personal and family matters.

At 52, Wayne stars in “Wayne Brady: The Family Remix,” a reality show featuring Mandie, Maile, and Jason. During the show, he was asked by Mandie why it took him so long to come out as pansexual to her. Wayne’s response was candid and heartfelt.

“The answer is easy—because I didn’t know! Like, I didn’t know what it was even called,” Wayne said. “It’s not like I had this secret that I was sitting on and at night I was pansexual Batman going out.”

He elaborated, saying that he struggled with terminology and understanding his feelings. “I didn’t know what it was called because I think that we’ve come so far with the lexicon of those terms, right? And understanding and acceptance,” he continued. “Back in the day, it was very much, ‘Well are you gay or are you not?'”

For Wayne, understanding his sexuality was a complex journey. He described the process as being full of self-discovery and therapy. “Knowing, well, maybe I find that person attractive, but that’s a man, but I also think this woman is attractive, but also learning that it’s not just as black and white as those two things. For me, it took all this time and all this work and all this therapy and all this fight in therapy to get away from the language that is instilled in you,” he explained.

When he first came out to his ex-wife, Wayne admitted he was nervous. Mandie is his closest friend, and his biggest fear was losing her and their friendship. The two have a deep bond, having tied the knot in 1999 and divorced seven years later. Despite their separation, they’ve remained close friends and business partners.

Wayne publicly came out as pansexual nearly a year ago. In an earlier interview with ET, he explained pansexuality as being able to love anyone, regardless of their gender. “I’m saying it is very possible for me to be attracted to a man because of the person,” he said, “and I can be attracted to this beautiful woman like you because of the person.”

Coming out brought Wayne a newfound sense of freedom. “The best part is, now that I’ve said this out loud, I don’t have to worry,” he told ET. “I could show up at a red carpet. I could be at Denny’s for all you know, I’m not ducking anybody… because it is what it is, and I’m free to do that.”

“Wayne Brady: The Family Remix” will premiere on Freeform on Wednesday, July 24, at 10 p.m. ET, and will be available the following day on Hulu.

Source: ET Online, Getty Images, Disney