Wayne Alphonso Brady is an American television show host, actor, and comedian. He is best known for his recurring role on the game show Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998–2007), and for his own daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show (2002-2004). He has also hosted the rebooted game show Let’s Make a Deal (2009–) since its revival.
Born in Georgia in 1972, Brady was mostly raised in Orlando, Florida by his grandmother. As a young child, he suffered from a stutter, which led to bullying. In his late teens, he joined an improv comedy group called SAK Comedy Lab who helped him develop his confidence and stage presence. Brady had his first television appearance in 1996 on the comedy game show Kwik Witz (1996–1999), where he became a recurring contestant.
Throughout his career, Brady has won five Emmy Awards; one in 2003 for Outstanding
Individual Performance for Whose Line is it Anyway?, another two consecutively in 2003 and 2004 for Outstanding Talk Show Host on The Wayne Brady Show, a fourth in 2014 for Outstanding Original Song on Let’s Make a Deal and his fifth in 2017 for Outstanding Game Show Host on Let’s Make a Deal.
In August 2023, Brady publicly came out as pansexual in an interview with People Magazine:
I’ve been attracted to men at times in my life [...] but I've always pushed that aside because of how I was raised [...] I’m now trying to be the most Wayne Brady I can be.
To understand more about pansexuality and its place within the bi community, check out our Bi Umbrella 101.