Wayne Alphonso Brady is a multi-talented American entertainer known for his work as a television host, comedian, actor, and singer. He gained recognition as a regular on the improv comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and has hosted various programs, including "The Wayne Brady Show," "Don't Forget the Lyrics!," and "Let's Make a Deal." Brady's versatility extends to Broadway, where he starred in the Tony Award-winning musical "Kinky Boots." He also appeared as James Stinson on the popular sitcom "How I Met Your Mother."
June 2, 1972: Birth of Wayne Brady
Wayne Alphonso Brady was born on June 2, 1972. This marks the beginning of his life and eventual successful career in entertainment.
1989: Wayne Brady Graduates High School
In 1989, Wayne Brady graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida.
1993: Dana Carvey's Emmy Win
In 1993, Dana Carvey won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, a feat that Wayne Brady would later replicate in 2003 for his work on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
December 31, 1993: First Marriage
Wayne Brady married Diana Lasso on December 31, 1993.
September 21, 1995: First Divorce
Wayne Brady and Diana Lasso divorced on September 21, 1995.
1996: Wayne Brady Moves to Los Angeles
In 1996, seeking to further his acting career, Wayne Brady made a significant move to Los Angeles.
1996: Wayne Brady's Television Debut on Kwik Witz
Wayne Brady made his first national television appearance as a contestant on the sketch comedy show "Kwik Witz" in 1996.
1998: Wayne Brady Joins Whose Line Is It Anyway?
In 1998, Wayne Brady joined the cast of the British improv comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" during its final season filmed in Hollywood.
1998: Wayne Brady Co-Hosts Vinyl Justice
In 1998, Wayne Brady took on the role of co-host for the VH1 show "Vinyl Justice."
April 3, 1999: Second Marriage
On April 3, 1999, Wayne Brady married dancer Mandie Taketa.
1999: Wayne Brady's First Guest Appearance on The Drew Carey Show
Wayne Brady made his first guest appearance on "The Drew Carey Show" in 1999, participating in the "Drew Live" segments.
1999: Wayne Brady's Time on Kwik Witz Concludes
Wayne Brady's run as a recurring contestant on the television show "Kwik Witz" came to an end in 1999.
2000: Wayne Brady Returns to The Drew Carey Show
Wayne Brady made a return appearance on "The Drew Carey Show" in 2000 for the "Drew Live II" segments.
2001: Premiere of The Wayne Brady Show (Variety)
Wayne Brady's own variety show, "The Wayne Brady Show," premiered in 2001, marking a significant step in his career.
2002: Release of All-4-One's "Beautiful As You"
The R&B group All-4-One released their song "Beautiful As You" in 2002, which Wayne Brady later covered for Disney in 2005.
2002: Debut of The Wayne Brady Show (Daytime Talk Show)
Wayne Brady launched his daytime talk show, also titled "The Wayne Brady Show," in 2002.
February 3, 2003: Birth of Daughter
Wayne Brady and Mandie Taketa's daughter, Maile Masako Brady, was born on February 3, 2003.
2003: Wayne Brady's Historic Emmy Win for Whose Line?
Wayne Brady made history in 2003 by becoming the first person since Dana Carvey in 1993 to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for a television series, specifically for his work on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
2003: Wayne Brady's First Emmy Win
Wayne Brady received his first Primetime Emmy Award in 2003 for his outstanding performance on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
2004: Wayne Brady Joins Chicago on Broadway
Wayne Brady took to the Broadway stage in 2004, portraying the character of Billy Flynn in the revival of the musical "Chicago."
2005: Wayne Brady Records Disney's "Beautiful"
In 2005, Wayne Brady lent his voice to Disney, recording Jim Brickman's song "Beautiful," a cover of All-4-One's 2002 hit.
April 5, 2006: Separation from Second Wife
Wayne Brady and Mandie Taketa separated on April 5, 2006.
September 29, 2006: Wayne Brady Concludes Hosting Celebrity Duets
Wayne Brady finished his stint as host of the Fox singing competition show "Celebrity Duets" on September 29, 2006.
July 2, 2007: Second Divorce Filing
Mandie Taketa filed for divorce from Wayne Brady on July 2, 2007.
2007: Ronald McDonald House Charities Supporter
Wayne Brady became an official supporter of the Ronald McDonald House Charities in 2007 and joined their celebrity board.
2007: Wayne Brady Stars in The List
Wayne Brady took a leading role in the ABC Family film "The List" in 2007.
September 16, 2008: Release of Wayne Brady's Debut Album
Wayne Brady released his debut album on September 16, 2008, marking his entrance into the music scene.
June 2009: Don't Forget the Lyrics! Cancellation
The singing game show "Don't Forget the Lyrics!," hosted by Wayne Brady, was canceled in June 2009.
2009: Wayne Brady Becomes Host of Let's Make a Deal
Wayne Brady became the host of the revived game show "Let's Make a Deal" in 2009. This marked a significant moment in his career, taking on the legacy of Monty Hall.
2009: Grammy Nomination for Wayne Brady
Wayne Brady was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009 in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category for his rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come."
May 3, 2010: Wayne Brady Guest Hosts WWE Raw
Wayne Brady stepped into the world of professional wrestling on May 3, 2010, as the guest host of WWE Raw.
January 2011: Wayne Brady Appears on Fast and Loose
Wayne Brady appeared alongside Jonathan Mangum, the announcer from "Let's Make a Deal," in two episodes of the improvisational comedy show "Fast and Loose" on BBC2 in January 2011.
March 4, 2011: Wayne Brady Co-Hosts NAACP Image Awards
Wayne Brady co-hosted the 42nd annual NAACP Image Awards with Holly Robinson Peete on March 4, 2011.
May 3, 2011: Wayne Brady Performs in James Brown Tribute
Wayne Brady paid tribute to the legendary James Brown on what would have been Brown's 78th birthday, performing as the lead in a special segment on "Dancing with the Stars" on May 3, 2011.
March 14, 2012: Wayne Brady Guest Stars on Psych
Wayne Brady made a guest appearance on the TV series "Psych" on March 14, 2012.
2012: Wayne Brady Stars in Trust Us with Your Life
Wayne Brady took a leading role in the ABC improvisational comedy series "Trust Us with Your Life" in 2012.
June 7, 2013: Wayne Brady Lends Voice to Phineas and Ferb
Wayne Brady lent his voice to the animated series "Phineas and Ferb," playing the character of Don in the episode "Where's Pinky?", which aired on June 7, 2013.
2013: Bill Maher Comparison
Bill Maher compared Wayne Brady to President Barack Obama, saying neither were "Black enough" for popular culture in 2013. Brady disagreed, saying Maher should be careful making those comparisons.
2014: Mental Health Challenges
On his 42nd birthday in 2014, Wayne Brady experienced a mental breakdown. He has spoken about suffering from clinical depression.
November 2015: Wayne Brady Joins Kinky Boots on Broadway
In November 2015, Wayne Brady stepped into the role of Lola in the Broadway production of "Kinky Boots," taking over from Billy Porter.
November 2015: Wayne Brady Replaces Billy Porter in Kinky Boots
Wayne Brady took on the role of Lola in the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots" in November 2015, replacing Billy Porter.
March 2016: Wayne Brady's Run in Kinky Boots Concludes
Wayne Brady concluded his run as Lola in the Broadway production of "Kinky Boots" in March 2016.
March 2016: Wayne Brady Concludes Run in Kinky Boots
Wayne Brady finished his run as Lola in the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots" in March 2016.
April 9, 2017: End of Hamilton Run
On April 9, 2017, Wayne Brady finished his run as Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of Hamilton at the PrivateBank Theatre.
2017: Passing of Monty Hall
Monty Hall, the original host of "Let's Make a Deal," passed away in 2017. He had served as a consultant for the show's revival.
April 29, 2018: Daytime Emmy Award Win
Wayne Brady won his first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host for his work on "Let's Make a Deal" on April 29, 2018, after being nominated seven times prior.
November 2018: The Bold and the Beautiful Debut
Wayne Brady began appearing as Dr. Reese Buckingham on the soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful" in November 2018.
September 2019: Both CBS Daytime Game Shows Hosted by "Whose Line?" Alumni
As of September 2019, both "The Price Is Right" and "Let's Make a Deal," staples of the CBS daytime lineup, were hosted by alumni of the improv comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" - Drew Carey and Wayne Brady, respectively.
October 10, 2019: Laughing Matters Documentary
On October 10, 2019, a YouTube documentary called "Laughing Matters" featuring Wayne Brady and other comedians discussing mental health was released by SoulPancake and Funny or Die.
December 18, 2019: The Masked Singer Win
Wayne Brady won season two of "The Masked Singer" as the "Fox" on December 18, 2019.
December 28, 2020: Ratatouille the Musical Announcement
On December 28, 2020, it was announced that Wayne Brady would be starring as Django in a virtual benefit concert version of "Ratatouille the Musical."
January 1, 2021: Ratatouille the Musical Performance
The "Ratatouille the Musical" benefit concert starring Wayne Brady as Django streamed on January 1, 2021 and raised over $1 million for The Actors Fund.
September 8, 2022: Dancing with the Stars Debut
Wayne Brady was announced as a contestant on season 31 of "Dancing with the Stars" on September 8, 2022. He was partnered with Witney Carson.
August 2023: Coming Out
In August 2023, Wayne Brady publicly came out as pansexual.