Wayne Brady: Still Keepin' It Real

Whose Line Is It Anyway? joker Wayne Brady is on a roll: His ABC variety series, The Wayne Brady Show — which debuted last summer to solid reviews and respectable ratings — is expected back on the network's schedule later this season. And next fall, the funnyman will be launching his own syndicated talk-variety show. Surely, it's right about time for Brady to morph into a hotshot showbiz prima donna, right? Not a chance.

"I always told myself that if I ever achieved a certain modicum of success, I was going to treat everyone the way that I wanted to be treated," the 29-year-old entertainer tells TV Guide Online. "The person that is your [production assistant] or even your co-star today could tomorrow be one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. So, you treat people with a certain dignity."

As Brady recalls, it wasn't too long ago when he was at the bottom of the Hollywood food chain. And he remembers all too well what a nasty, merciless business entertainment can be. "I had auditioned a few times for a particular casting director — of course I'm not mentioning any names — and I was just completely snubbed. [This person] was just rude. It makes you lose faith in what you do."

Turns out, Brady had the last laugh. "Fast forward [a few years] and I run into the same person when I'm interviewing casting directors for [The Wayne Brady Show]," he remembers. "This person walks in and goes, 'Wayne Brady! Oh my God, it's so wonderful to see you! You are a gem.' And I'm like, 'You don't remember me?' And that was even worse. Because if you're going to insult me and be mean to me, at least remember [me]."