Wayne Brady to Host the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

Ahead of returning to Broadway in The Wiz, Wayne Brady will host the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday, March 14, 2024. 

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.Since 1990, the GLAAD Media Awards have grown to be the most visible annualLGBTQ awards show in the world, sending powerful messages of acceptance to audiences globally.

“It is with immense pride that I was asked to host this year's GLAAD Media Awards ceremony, celebrating a community that has welcomed me with open arms,” said Brady. “The stories created by and for LGBTQ people bring us closer to a world of unity, inclusivity and acceptance and I'm honored to help recognize the valuable contributions the queer community has made in entertainment and media.”

A true multi-hyphenate, Brady's career path and personal life journey have helped him see the world in a unique way. Brady made his mark on stage and screen and has set out to create new content across different platforms that showcase innovation and inclusivity in fun and powerful ways.

Brady will be seen in the upcoming Hulu docuseries Wayne Brady: THE FAMILY Remix. The show follows his blended family, including his ex-wife, best friend and business partner Mandie Taketa, their 21-year-old daughter Maile, and Mandie's life partner Jason. The series is produced by Wayne and Mandie's joint production company, A Wayne and Mandie Creative, along with Fremantle. 

This spring Brady returns to Broadway in the all-new production of The Wiz, leading the cast as the titular character. The highly-anticipated musical features award-winning creatives and producers including Schele Williams, Common, Amber Ruffin, Sharen Davis, Deborah Cox, Nichelle Lewis and many other talents.

A five-time Emmy winner (the first to win Daytime and Primetime awards in two consecutive years), Brady has an impressive TV resume including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Masked Singer, Dancing With The Stars, Black Lightning, The Good Fight, and Showtime's American Gigolo – each spotlighting different aspects of his immense talent.

In addition to being a force in front of the camera, Brady is heavily active behind the scenes wearing the hats of host & executive producer for Let's Make A Deal, Game of Talents, and Comedy IQ, which he also co-created through his production company. All of this follows on the heels of the success of his award-winning daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show.

Long an accomplished singer and performer, Brady's musical acumen has always been a personal passion and he used that as fuel to help win the second season of TheMasked Singer. Off his victory, Brady dropped a brand-new original single, entitled “Flirtin' w/ Forever,” which quickly climbed the streaming charts, as well as an accompanying music video. He earned him a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category for Sam Cooke's “A Change is Gonna Come.”

Advocacy is core to Brady's life. He champions the need for more resources and better understanding of mental health issues, especially in the Black community. Brady's public announcement about his pansexuality brings awareness to an underrepresented community and he continues to support and promote LGBTQ causes and organizations such as GLAAD, GLSEN, Broadway Backwards and Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles. Brady isa longtime supporter of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Alzheimer's Foundation of America and SAY The Stuttering Association for the Young.

Nominees for the 35th Annual GLAADMedia Awards reflect work published, released, or broadcast between January 1and December 31, 2023. During the LosAngeles ceremony, GLAAD will announce award recipients for LGBTQ representation in categories that span film, TV, news, and Spanish-language media. A New YorkCeremony will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis serves as Executive Producer of the 35th GLAAD Media Awards, alongside GLAAD's Rich Ferraro and Anthony Allen Ramos. GLAAD's Tony Morrison will serve as Supervising Producer and Jose Useche will serve as Producer. The ceremonies will be produced in partnership with STAMP Event Co.

The 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are presented by Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Hyundai, with Major Sponsor, Hornitos, and Official Sponsors Delta Air Lines and Sony Music Group.

About GLAAD:

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects ALL THAT has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect @GLAAD on social.

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