Wayne Brady says he’s ‘always been depressed’

Opening up about his mental health, Wayne Brady refers to depression as an “insidious beast,” and that “in hindsight, I feel that I’ve always been depressed.”

The multi-talented comedian, performer, actor, and talk show host, Wayne Brady has been a vehicle for joy and laughter, earning fans with his good-natured approach to everything along with his contagious smile on Let’s Make a Deal. But as he told verywell mind, appearances can be deceiving.

However, that smile can sometimes be a challenge to maintain as Brady reveals, “There are days when it’s difficult, to be sure, especially when folks are relying on you to make them feel a certain way.”

“They make you laugh because it’s their job, because it’s their calling – it’s not a personality trait,” Brady emphasized about comedians and performers.

Brady notes that he got to a point in his life where he realized that he was truly dealing with depression and couldn’t ignore it anymore. This became especially true following the death of Robin Williams in 2014 which greatly affected Brady, who stated that he felt blessed to have worked with the legendary comedian. Brady’s further comments on Williams are likely easy for us all to connect with since so many see Williams as a bright light in entertainment. “When you see someone who has the mind of Robin Williams and the kindness of Robin Williams and the talent of Robin Williams say, ‘I cannot talk to anybody about what is going on with me because it’s too great,’ I knew that I didn’t want that for myself,” Brady said about Williams.

That’s when his ex-wife Mandie Taketa gave him the push he needed to begin going to therapy “Like a lot of people in the African American community, I grew up thinking that therapy was a bad word or therapy’s not for me.”

It has since helped Brady focus his time on those he values the most, including his family and close friends. He also realizes the importance of clearing the mind as well as the importance of physical fitness. He also doesn’t shy away from embracing the things that give him joy, such as video games and paintball.

Another surprise reveal in the interview is that Brady says he is not much of a talker when off camera. However, he does explain how being on camera can be helpful, stating, “it actually helps knowing that there is an audience that you can perform for.”

Despite his fame, Brady stays grounded and realizes everyone faces challenges in life but that kindness can play a role because getting through hard times, “The reality is everybody’s dealing with something every day.”