Ron Funches
{{short description|American comedian and actor (born 1983)}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Ron Funches
| image = Ron Funches SXSW 2015.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Funches in 2015
| birth_name = Ronald Kyle Funches
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|3|12}}
| birth_place = Carson, California, U.S.{{cite news|last1=Turnquist|first1=Kristi|title=Rising star, comedian Ron Funches outgrows Portland, leaves for Los Angeles|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/07/ron_funches_outgrows_portland.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190718092509/https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2012/07/ron_funches_outgrows_portland.html|archive-date=July 18, 2019|work=The Oregonian|date=July 29, 2012|access-date=March 16, 2016}}
| medium = {{hlist|Stand-up|television|film}}
| genre = {{hlist|Observational comedy|black comedy|surreal humor|insult comedy|sarcasm|satire|deadpan}}
| subject = {{hlist|African-American culture|American politics|human behavior|pop culture|current events|autism|fatherhood|marijuana}}
| years_active = 2006–present
| children = 2
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Ronald Kyle Funches (born March 12, 1983) is an American comedian and actor. Born in California, Funches spent his early life in Chicago before relocating to Salem, Oregon,{{Cite web |last=Oregonian/OregonLive |first=Kristi Turnquist {{!}} The |date=2012-07-30 |title=Rising star, comedian Ron Funches outgrows Portland, leaves for Los Angeles |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2012/07/ron_funches_outgrows_portland.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Broadcast Group |first=Sinclair |date=2023-08-25 |title=Actor & Comedian Ron Funches |url=https://katu.com/amnw/am-northwest-special-guests/actor-comedian-ron-funches |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=KATU |language=en}} as a teenager. He began his comedy career in Portland, Oregon, at age 23. After moving to Los Angeles in 2012, he began appearing as a guest on several comedy series, including @midnight, Mulaney, and Kroll Show.
From 2014 to 2016, Funches starred as a regular on the NBC series Undateable, and in 2015, began performing as a voice actor on such series as BoJack Horseman, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and Adventure Time. He subsequently performed the voice role of Cooper in the animated film Trolls (2016). He also had guest-starring roles on a number of television series, including Transparent (2016), Black-ish (2017), and reprised the role of Cooper in the Trolls spin-off series Trolls: The Beat Goes On! (2018).
Beginning in 2019, he began voicing the roles of King Shark in the DC Comics TV series Harley Quinn and Fox in the TBS/Adult Swim TV series Final Space. In 2020, Funches again reprised the role of Cooper in the sequel film Trolls World Tour. Starting in 2020, Funches voiced Ron on the Netflix series Hoops. In 2021, Funches began voicing Kevin in the FX series Poorly Drawn Lines.
Early life
Ronald Kyle Funches was born in Carson, California,{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpcEE14uoY8|work=Gettin' Better with Ron Funches|title=#203 - Couples Therapy with Ali Macofsky|access-date=July 12, 2022|date=July 6, 2022|via=YouTube|last=Funches|first=Ron}} but spent his early life with his mother and sister in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Funches' mother was a social worker. When he was 13 years old, he moved to Salem, Oregon, to live with his father, who was employed there as a pipefitter.
He graduated from Douglas McKay High School in Salem, where he took English courses, and was inspired by writers such as Molière, J. D. Salinger, William Faulkner, and Erich Maria Remarque. After high school, Funches relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he worked a variety of jobs, including at a bank call center and as a clerk at a Grocery Outlet store.
Career
File:Ron Funches (5064296300).jpg, Portland, Oregon]]
Funches began pursuing stand-up comedy at the age of 23 in Portland. After having a small role on an episode of Portlandia in 2011,{{cite web | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-0604-ron-funches-20140604,0,5408397.story | title=Ron Funches on NBC's 'Undateable' | work=Chicago Tribune | date= June 4, 2014 | access-date= June 29, 2015 | author=Crowder, Courtney}}{{cite web | url=http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/undateable_season_1_premiere_ron_funches_detroit_nbc-2014-05 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006113819/http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/undateable_season_1_premiere_ron_funches_detroit_nbc-2014-05 | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 6, 2014 | title='Undateable': Ron Funches 'giggles 'like an Asian princess' | work=Zap2it | date=May 29, 2014 | access-date=June 29, 2015 | author=Cutler, Jacqueline}}{{cite web | url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2014/05/tv_rewind_ron_funches_on_undat.html | title=TV Rewind: Ron Funches on 'Undateable'; 'Mad Men' midseason finale; 'Downton Abbey,' more | work=The Oregonian | date=May 31, 2014 | access-date=June 29, 2015 | author=Turnquist, Kristi}} he relocated to Los Angeles in 2012. Beginning in 2013, he was a regular panelist on the comedy series @midnight, had a recurring role in the comedy series Crash & Bernstein (2013), and worked as a writer on The Eric Andre Show and Comedy Central's The Half Hour (2014). Also in 2014, Funches performed as a regular comic panelist on Chelsea Lately.{{cite web | url=http://ronfunches.com/show/chelsea-lately | title=Chelsea Lately | work=Ron Funches | access-date=29 June 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405235206/http://ronfunches.com/show/chelsea-lately | archive-date=5 April 2015 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.sidereel.com/Chelsea_Lately/season-8/episode-119 | title=Watch Chelsea Lately S8E119 Online - Ethan Hawke, Ron Funches, Sarah Colonna, Ross Mathews | work=SideReel | access-date=June 29, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://theinterrobang.com/ron-funches-cant-stop-giggling-chelsea-lately/ | title=Ron Funches Can't Stop Giggling on Chelsea Lately | work=The Interrobang | date= August 7, 2014 | access-date=June 29, 2015}}
Beginning in 2014, Funches appeared in several episodes of Drunk History, and in 2015, performed numerous guest-starring voice roles on the animated series BoJack Horseman, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and Adventure Time.
Funches subsequently starred as Shelly on the NBC comedy series Undateable from 2014 until the series' conclusion in 2016.{{cite news|last1=Hinds|first1=Julie|title=4 theories on why NBC renewed Detroit-centric sitcom 'Undateable'|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20140801/ENT03/308010189/-Undateable-NBC-renewed-Detroit-sitcom|access-date=June 29, 2015|work=Detroit Free Press|date=August 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140802045835/http://www.freep.com/article/20140801/ENT03/308010189/-Undateable-NBC-renewed-Detroit-sitcom|archive-date= August 2, 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Duelund|first1=Theis|title=7 Things you Need to Know About Comedian Ron Funches|url=http://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-comedian-ron-funches/|website=Los Angeles Magazine|access-date=March 16, 2016|date=May 28, 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Socci|first1=Blair|title=Talking to Ron Funches About Standup, LA, and His First Sitcom Acting Gig|url=http://splitsider.com/2013/08/talking-with-ron-funches-about-standup-la-and-his-first-sitcom-acting-gig/|website=Splitsider|access-date=March 16, 2016|date= August 5, 2013}} Funches also had a supporting role in the 2015 comedy film Get Hard.
In 2016, he voiced the role of Cooper in the animated film Trolls,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/zooey-deschanel-jeffrey-tambor-join-884064|title=Zooey Deschanel, Jeffrey Tambor Join DreamWorks Animation's 'Trolls'|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 14, 2016|language=en|last=Vlessing|first=Etan|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160908142026/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/zooey-deschanel-jeffrey-tambor-join-884064|archive-date=September 8, 2016|access-date=April 9, 2020|url-status=live}} Also in 2016, Funches guest-starred on numerous series, such as Another Period, Take My Wife, and Transparent.
Beginning in 2019, he began voicing the role of King Shark in the DC Comics TV series Harley Quinn and the role of Fox in the TBS series Final Space. He played the recurring character "Funchy" in season 3 (2019) of the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan. Funches reprised his role of Cooper in the Trolls sequel, Trolls World Tour (2020). Funches also voiced Shag Rugg on the 2021 HBO Max television series Jellystone!{{Cite web|title=Login • Instagram|url=https://z-p42.www.instagram.com/accounts/login/|access-date=2021-08-26|website=z-p42.www.instagram.com}} and Rock on the 2024 Nickelodeon television series Rock Paper Scissors.
In 2021, Funches hosted a spin-off of the Food Network series Chopped—Chopped 420—for Discovery+.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-20 |title=Stream It Or Skip It: 'Chopped 420' On Discovery+, Where Four Chefs Compete To Make Dishes That Incorporate Cannabis |url=https://decider.com/2021/04/20/chopped-420-discovery-plus-review/ |access-date=2022-01-27 |website=Decider |language=en-US}}
Influences
Funches has cited Lucille Ball, Dave Chappelle, and Mitch Hedberg as major influences on his comedy.{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/cameo-critic-ron-funches-loves-i-love-lucy/303087201/|work=Star Tribune|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200430224739/https://www.startribune.com/cameo-critic-ron-funches-loves-i-love-lucy/303087201/|archive-date=April 30, 2020|title=Cameo critic: Ron Funches loves 'I Love Lucy'|date=May 9, 2015|author=Variety Staff}} Commenting on Ball, he said: "I Love Lucy was kind of my introduction to the world of comedy in general. And when you look at the history of Lucille Ball, and the work that she did for women in Hollywood, having her own production company, and also showing an interracial marriage on TV in the ’50s, to me, she’s just one of my biggest influences overall as a human being. That's what it means to be a professional and what it means to stand up for yourself even though interracial marriage has nothing to do with a career."{{cite web|work=The Georgia Straight|url=https://www.straight.com/arts/932906/wrestling-lucille-ball-comedian-ron-funches-mixes-it|title=From wrestling to Lucille Ball, comedian Ron Funches mixes it up|last=MacPherson|first=Guy|date=July 5, 2017|url-status=live|archive-date=April 30, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200430233210/https://www.straight.com/arts/932906/wrestling-lucille-ball-comedian-ron-funches-mixes-it}}
Personal life
Funches had his first son, Malcolm, when he was 20 years old.{{Cite web |title=Ron Funches Celebrates His Son Malcolm on Autism Awareness Day: 'Teaches Me So Much Every Day' |url=https://people.com/parents/ron-funches-celebrates-son-malcolm-autism-awareness-day/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}} He mentions Malcolm's autism in his standup routine and welcomes fans sharing their stories with him.{{cite web |last1=Pashman |first1=Dan |date=21 April 2015 |title=Comic Ron Funches' Autistic Son Loves Oreos With Bacon |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-pashman/comic-ron-funches-autistic-son-loves-oreos-with-bacon_b_7108036.html |access-date=16 March 2016 |website=Huffington Post}}{{Cite web |last=Nailen |first=Dan |date=June 28, 2018 |title=Ron Funches' "open-hearted, optimistic" comedy helps him stand out in stand-up |url=https://www.inlander.com/spokane/ron-funches-open-hearted-optimistic-comedy-helps-him-stand-out-in-stand-up/Content?oid=10600904 |access-date=December 7, 2018 |website=Inlander |language=en}} He married Christina Dawn in August 2020. They had a son, Funches's second child, in 2022.{{cite web|url=http://ohsogray.com/?p=3551|title=Inside Scoop: Hanging With UNDATEABLE's David Fynn & Ron Funches|date=17 March 2015|website=Oh So Gray|access-date=16 March 2016}}{{Citation|title=Ron Funches on Facebook Watch|url=https://www.facebook.com/RonFunch/videos/im-engaged-and-now-announce-all-my-personal-news-through-late-night-shows-the-la/766721807082541/|language=en|access-date=2020-04-09}}{{cite web |title=Ron Funches on How Parenting Is Different the Second Time Around |url=https://jenniferhudsonshow.com/2023/02/07/ron-funches-interview/ |access-date=24 January 2024 |website=Jennifer Hudson Show |language=en-US}} In October 2022, they separated.{{Cite web |last=Naumann |first=Ryan |date=2023-01-05 |title=Comedian Ron Funches' Estranged Wife Demands Spousal Support, Primary Custody Of 8-Month Old |url=https://radaronline.com/p/comedian-ron-funches-wife-demands-spousal-support-primary-custody/ |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=RadarOnline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Comedian Ron Funches Files For Divorce After 'Pandemic Wedding' |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/comedian-ron-funches-files-divorce-195056856.html |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www.yahoo.com |date=17 November 2022 |language=en-US}}
Funches is an avid video gamer{{cite web|last1=Husband|first1=Andrew|title=Ron Funches Discusses Video Games, Giggles And 'The Funches Of Us'|url=http://uproxx.com/tv/ron-funches-interview/|website=Uproxx|access-date=19 March 2016|date=16 November 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Kodner|first1=Matt|title=What are you playing this weekend? Ron Funches, comedian|url=http://gameological.com/2013/10/ron-funches-comedian/|website=The Gameological Society|access-date=19 March 2016|date=18 October 2013}} and wrestling fan, having taken classes at a wrestling school for a few months.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-12 |title=Stand-up comedian Ron Funches brings positivity and pot-sitivity to KC |url=https://www.thepitchkc.com/ron-funches/ |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=The Pitch |language=en-US}} Eventually Funches made his in-ring debut at GCW in September 2021 in a match against Tony Deppen that featured Paul Scheer as his cornerman and interference from Danhausen.{{Cite web |last=Blanchard |first=Matthew |date=2021-09-19 |title=Actor Ron Funches Proves Himself In The Ring With GCW |url=https://theovertimer.com/2021/09/actor-ron-funches-proves-himself-in-the-ring-with-gcw/ |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=The Overtimer |language=en-US}} In August 2022 he started his wrestling podcast One Fall with Ron Funches.{{Cite web |title=One Fall with Ron Funches |url=https://open.spotify.com/show/2miXkqb2DsC4iAhCaCHFur |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=Spotify |language=en}}
He told Adam Carolla that he had once weighed 360 pounds. Funches said that over a few years he lost around 140 pounds.{{cite web|title=Ron Funches|url=http://adamcarolla.com/ron-funches/|website=The Adam Carolla Show|access-date=14 May 2017|date=2 May 2017}}
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes ! class="unsortable"| {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| 2011
| Baseball Player | Episode: "Baseball" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="3" scope="row"| 2013
| Roland | 5 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Dead Kevin
| Homeless King | Episode: "How Not to Rob a Liquor Store" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| New Girl
| Street Musician | Episode: "First Date" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="6" scope="row"| 2014
| Mulaney | Rodney aka Tall Tucan | Episode: "It's a Wonderful Home Alone" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| The Eric Andre Show
| {{N/A|align=left}} | Writer | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Selfie
| Wayne | Episode: "Traumatic Party Stress Disorder" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| The Half Hour
| Himself | Stand-up special | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Bob's Burgers
| Horseplay / Patrick | 2 episodes |
| Enlisted
| Private Huggins | Episode: "Pilot" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2014–2015
| Himself | Actor: 4 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="2" scope="row"| 2014–2016
| Shelly | 36 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Drunk History
| Various | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="4" scope="row"| 2015
| Marty | Episode: "To Find a Friend" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| BoJack Horseman
| Levi | Episode: "Chickens" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| The Adventures of Puss in Boots
| Fartholomew Fishflinger | Episode: "Mouse" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Adventure Time
| The Fool | 2 episodes in Stakes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2016
| Idi Amin | Episode: "Idi Amin" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="7" scope="row"| 2016
| Hamish's Cellmate | 2 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| The Lion Guard
| Ajabu | Episode: "The Imaginary Okapi" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Harmonquest
| Captain Ribs Sanchez | Episode: "Across the Dernum Sea" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Cupcake Wars
| Himself | Episode: "Josie and the Pussycats" |
| Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh
| Sharzod | 45 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Take My Wife
| Ron | Episode: "Headliner" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Transparent
| Fredrick | Episode: "Elizah" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="7" scope="row"| 2017
| Drive Share | Nicky Nitro | Episode: "The Light Source" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Black-ish
| Ledarius | Episode: "I'm a Survivor" |
| The Goldbergs
| Froy | 2 episodes | style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ron-funches/credits/555866/|work=TV Guide|title=Ron Funches Credits|access-date=April 30, 2020}} |
| Powerless
| Ron | 12 episodes |
| We Bare Bears
| Wyatt | Episode: "Road Trip" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Future Man
| Ray | Episode: "Pilot" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Trolls Holiday
| Cooper | TV special | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="3" scope="row"| 2018
| A.P. Bio | Hans | 2 episodes |
| Talk Show The Game Show
| Himself | 1 episodes | style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/01/trutv-announces-a-pile-of-premiere-dates-new-series-and-shows-in-development.html|title=truTV Announces a Pile of Premiere Dates, New Series, and Shows in Development|first=Megh|last=Wright|work=Vulture|date=January 11, 2018|access-date=July 22, 2018}} |
| OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
| Sparko | 4 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2018–2019
| Cooper | 65 episodes |
| rowspan="3" scope="row"| 2019
| Khaki Bottoms | Episode: "The Ball Pit Car" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Man with a Plan
| Funchy | 3 episodes |
| Twelve Forever
| Manquin | 25 episodes |
| scope="row"| 2019–2021
| Fox | Voice role | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2019–present
| 23 episodes |
| scope="row"| 2019
| Ron Funches: Giggle Fit | rowspan="2" | Himself | Stand-up special | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2019–2022
| 2 episodes | style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|publisher=Comedy Central|title=Crank Yankers: Aubrey Plaza, Ron Funches and Derek Waters|date=April 9, 2020|url=http://www.cc.com/episodes/gpx81c/crank-yankers-aubrey-plaza--ron-funches---derek-waters-season-5-ep-517|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200501000343/http://www.cc.com/episodes/gpx81c/crank-yankers-aubrey-plaza--ron-funches---derek-waters-season-5-ep-517|archive-date=May 1, 2020}} |
| rowspan="7" scope="row"| 2020
| Danny | Episode: "Squirrel, Interrupted" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Room 104
| Charlie | Episode: "Oh, Harry!" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Hoops
| Ron | 10 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| The Last Blockbuster
| rowspan="4" | Himself | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Nice One!
| rowspan="2" | Host, writer | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Top Secret Videos{{cite web|url=https://www.trutv.com/shows/top-secret-videos/clips/at-home-vasectomy|title=Top Secret Videos}}
| style="text-align:center;"| |
| Match Game
| Episode: "Joel McHale, Amanda Seales, Ron Funches, Ana Gasteyer, Rob Huebel, Nikki Glaser" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2020–2022
| Cooper | 52 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2021–present
| Jerry Shaw | Recurring | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="2" scope="row"| 2021
| Himself/Judge | Episode: "Burbank State Fair" | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Chopped 420
| Himself/host | 5 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2021–2025
| Shag Rugg, Astro, Hong Kong Phooey | rowspan="3" | Voice role | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2021–2022
| Mothman | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="3" scope="row"| 2021
| Kevin | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Trolls: Holiday in Harmony
| Cooper | TV special | style="text-align:center;"| |
| A Tale Dark & Grimm
| Jacob | Voice role | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2022–present
| Loot | Howard | Main role | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2023–present
| Rock | Voice role | style="text-align:center;"| |
| rowspan="2" scope="row"| 2024
| Himself | Episode #26 | style="text-align:center;"| |
| Ariel
| Delfino | Episode: "The Singing Dolphin" | style="text-align:center;"| |
Other accomplishments
- DDT Pro-Wrestling
- Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (1 time){{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px81XKtul9c |title=Ron Funches beats Laura James by forfeit to win DDT Pro Wrestling Ironman Heavymetalweight Title |date=26 July 2016 |format= video |via=YouTube |access-date= 26 August 2016 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://ronfunches.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|3236733}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Funches, Ron}}
Category:Actual play performers
Category:21st-century African-American male actors
Category:African-American male comedians
Category:African-American stand-up comedians
Category:American male comedians
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American male television writers
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:Television writers from California
Category:Comedians from California
Category:Comedians from Chicago
Category:Comedians from Portland, Oregon
Category:Male actors from Chicago
Category:Male actors from Portland, Oregon
Category:Male actors from Salem, Oregon
Category:People from Carson, California
Category:Screenwriters from Illinois
Category:Screenwriters from Oregon
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:21st-century American male writers
Category:21st-century African-American writers
Category:20th-century African-American people
Category:African-American male writers