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Wayne Brady is famous both as a pop star and a great comedian. He is a versatile celebrity with fans who love the 90s Brady in Whose line is it anyway?, later in the Wayne Brady Show, and those who love the vibrant and charming Lola in Kinky Boots among other characters. Born in Columbus, Georgia, to a 17-year-old mom, and a dad too occupied in the army, Wayne Brady had no option but to be raised by his grandmother.
He is a talented singer and actor who has proved his exceptional ability to entertain fans across two different generations, winning lots of awards in the process. There is, however so much that happens behind the scenes that most people don't know about this ever-smiling star. Here is a look at the ten most interesting facts about him.
HE PASSED OUT ON HIS FIRST DAY IN COSTUME
Yes, the heat on the stage was not Wayne Brady's cup of tea. Wayne Brady had just received the opportunity to play Tigger at Walt Disney World in Orlando for his first role as a paid actor. He was in high school, doing anything to earn a penny, including casual jobs in theme parks.
The Future Grammy nominee and multiple Emmy awards winner was, however, too short at the time and couldn't fit into most costumes except Goofy and Tigger. He was overwhelmed by the heat and passed out, but at least he lived to act another day.
HE STARTED PERFORMING AT SAK COMEDY LAB IN ORLANDO
SAK is a small comedy lab that is famous for naturing comedy and improv skills in local youth. By the time Wayne Brady joined in the 90s, it wasn't known for much, in fact, Wayne Brady and Magnum are its most renowned alumni.
Wayne Brady is one of those people that doesn't forget their past, and he has visited and helped improve the theater to be one of the best in Orlando. His time at SAK comedy and Improv Lab in Orlando played a significant role in developing his comedy and Improvisational skills. He was not really the born comedian, which is why he understands that talent needs maturing.
HE IS A VIDEO GAME ADDICT
Yes, he is addicted to video games, but not one of those nasty addictions. He confessed that when he is not hosting CBS' Let's Make a Deal, he takes time off in the dressing room to play Mortal Kombat with the Producer.
He sees his passion for video games as a way of getting back the fun he lost while growing up. His love for video games, however, seems to go far back into his teenage years. He said that he had to work at a toy shop for two weeks to get an employee discount to buy his Nintendo gaming system.
HE WAS CAST IN THE Broadway Version of LION KING
Wayne Brady has had lots of iconic roles over the years, with his most recent famous role being Lola in the musical, Kinky Boots. However, he had a very iconic role earlier in his career when Lion King first hit the theaters. He was cast as the ensemble for Simba in the Broadway play. He could not accept the offer at the time, but would eventually makes his way to Broadway.
HE LANDED HIS FIRST ROLE BY ACCIDENT
Many stars do not step into acting ready to win awards, but at least they are sure they want to act. Wayne Brady was not really an actor; he was just a dedicated ROTC member when a friend told him to stand in for him in a high school play.
He had low self-confidence and a stutter, which is why he didn't feel like he could entertain anyone. His accidental one-line role, however, changed his life for the better as he managed to kill it on stage on his first day.
HE WAS RAISED BY HIS GRANDMOTHER
Wayne Brady was born in June 1972. His mother was just 17 years old at the time facing financial issues and couldn't afford to raise him. His father, Wayne Brady Senior, was also serving in the military with little time for the family, leaving Brady's grandmother Valerie as the only parent available for the young boy.
He was forced to move from Georgia to Florida as a young boy to his paternal grandmother's place. He grew fond of his grandmother and called her mom instead of his mother. The move actually helped forge the star`s career because it put him in touch with his first acting role.
HE ALWAYS WANTED TO JOIN THE MILITARY
What does a shy little boy with a stutter, too afraid to open his mouth plan to do when he grows up? Wayne Brady was such a kid, and his only role model was his father, who he admired as a great military man. He decided that his primary career aspiration would be joining the army and even became a member of ROTC in high school.
His desire to become a soldier was also supported by his grandmother. He decided that if acting didn't pay off within six months, he would drop it and still join the military. Luckily for him, acting paid off big time.
HE STRUGGLED WITH DEPRESSION
Wayne Brady is outwardly the epitome of happiness, managing to entertain large crowds and make people laugh, but does he really laugh all the time? It is hard to imagine the ever-smiling comedian ever struggling with depression, but he actually did. He confessed on Entertainment Tonight in 2014 that despite his happy brave face on Let`s Make a Deal, he had a hard time when he went back home.
His suffering started in 2006 after the end of his marriage. He also said that he sought help for his problem and hoped that his confession would help others open up about depression.
HE HAD A STUTTERING PROBLEM
Wayne Brady is one of the celebrities that support The Stuttering Foundation, and his reasons are more personal than emotional. He had a problem talking to people because people laughed at him when he stuttered.
He confessed that his grandmother also joked about his stuttering, which is why he found it hard to talk to people. He later discovered his mouth after acting in a school play, which helped build his self-confidence. He also attributes his boldness to his sharp ability to throw back retorts at bullies that heckled when he stuttered.
HE CREATED THE THEME SONG FOR DISNEY`S THE WEEKENDERS
Wayne Brady is a renowned musician with lots of award-winning songs. His best-known song is "A Change Is Gonna Come," which won a Grammy nomination for the best traditional R&B category in 2008. Brady has done lots of songs in the background, and many are listened to without much acknowledgment of his work.
The theme song for The Weekenders has caught lots of attention because many people don`t know it is Brady who actually did it. He said his time at Disney world meant a lot to him, and he enjoyed doing the theme song.