Interview by Lori Bizzoco. Written by Katelyn Di Salvo.
Actor, improv artist, and comedian Wayne Brady was in New York City this week to team up with Charmin to host the “Keep it Clean Comedy Show.” The event gave young comedians from schools all over the city a platform to deliver five minutes of their best, clean potty humor routines in front of a live audience. In our exclusive celebrity interview with the television host, he opens up about the show, his upcoming role as Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway, and his modern family dynamic!
Wayne Brady Discusses Charmin’s “Keep it Clean Comedy Show”
Brady has a lot on his plate these days. He is best known for hosting Let’s Make a Deal on CBS as well as being on the very popular Who’s Line Is It Anyway? Additionally, the actor is developing an improv game show with Ryan Seacrest and a sitcom with his producing partner — who also happens to be his celebrity ex — Mandie Taketa.
Even with his full schedule, the busy celeb still made time to give back and help out the future of comedy for Charmin’s “Keep It Clean Comedy Show.” Brady opened up the show with classic interactive improv and even brought his daughter Maile on stage for some father-daughter comedy. He says getting involved with the event was a “no-brainer” because he was excited about helping these young, aspiring comedians. Plus, Charmin offered to donate to his favorite charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities. He was so impressed with the young talent at the event that he thought he could cast a baby Saturday Night Live!
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Comedian Shares His Excitement for His Latest Gig on Broadway
NYC will be seeing a lot more of Brady come November. The actor will be the next star of Kinky Boots, playing the role of Lola. He’s performed on Broadway before, acting as Billy Flynn in Chicago. However, the Emmy winner believes that being on Broadway will be different this time around because “Lola is an amazing role.” It’s no surprise that it’ll take a lot of discipline to “sing those songs, wear those heels, walk that walk, and be the guy that helps to hold the entire show up.” The celeb explains that his role as Billy Flynn was “cool and poppin’,” a very different character to play. “For my money, this Lola is one of the best roles on Broadway,” he shares.
Brady also clears up the belief that he is his work, saying, “It’s a job. I think that there’s this weird misconception that I believe most people carry around that, if you’re a stand-up comedian or if you do improv, whatever you do on stage is how you should be in life.” He explains that he isn’t a wind-up doll and is a different person in real life. “When I’m on stage, I let out all the stops — that’s why I started acting,” he reveals. “When I was a kid, you got to use your imagination and be whoever you wanted to be…and then come back to real life and just chill.”
The Dynamic of His Modern Celebrity Family
As fans know, Brady went through a celebrity divorce with Mandie Taketa in 2007. But unlike many celebrity exes, the two managed to stay close, parenting and working together. Last fall, he went through some tough times and battled depression, and the comedian credits his ex-wife for helping him get through it.
Brady confirms that his relationship with Taketa (who was sitting next to him with daughter Maile during our interview) works for a simple reason: “We love each other. We truly love each other — like back to the wall, fight anybody, like I can say something about her, but you can’t because I will fight you, and she will kill you for me,” he explains. “So we have love and friendship. Add to that that we are parents together and business partners in this beautiful venture of a child.” Given his experience, he doesn’t understand the people who can’t be friends, love each other, and happily co-exist because, at the end of the day, they are still a family.
The comedian shares that he’s happily single at the moment. “I tried dating in the past, and it’s not that I don’t want to or won’t, but now is not the time,” he says. “I’m enjoying my life. I’ve got my daughter; I get to hang out with my best friend; and I get to do amazing work. I’ll get around to it at some point.”
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The celebrity father didn’t hesitate when asked to give his daughter dating advice, quoting his daughter’s mother and saying, “Don’t give anybody your time that won’t respect your boundaries and respect you as a person. You’ve got to be willing and ready to do what you have to do to back that up. I wouldn’t want her to be with someone who doesn’t pay attention to those things.”
Catch Wayne Brady in Kinky Boots on Broadway this fall! You can follow the star on Twitter @waynebrady.
