Son of
Mel White. Until the early 1990s. Mel White was a speech and ghostwriter for such evangelical, far-right Christian figures as
Jerry Falwell,
Pat Robertson and
Billy Graham. When Mel finally accepted his long-repressed homosexuality, he and his wife, Lyla, divorced amicably and Mel started a gay-rights organization called "Soulforce". Mike's mother, Lyla, later became executive director of the historic performing arts venue, Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California.