TCB Infomercial: Ron Funches

Summary

The Commercial Break - TCB Infomercial: Ron Funches

Episode Date: November 19, 2024
Host(s): Bryan Green & Krissy Hoadley
Guest: Ron Funches (Comedian, Actor, Voice Actor)

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Commercial Break podcast’s "Infomercial Tuesday" brings in the inimitable Ron Funches as the featured guest. The hosts and Ron riff on everything from the surreal evolution of robot security, the art of voice acting, the joys and struggles of parenthood (especially raising a neurodivergent child), and the realities of making it in comedy. The tone is consistently improvisational, affectionate, and irreverent, with memorable asides, candid reflections, and plenty of laughs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ron’s Unique Comedy & Voice Acting Journey

• On Having a Unique Voice
  • Ron’s distinctive voice, once a subject of teasing, is now his professional asset. He describes the two camps of voice actors: mimics, and “weirdos with weird voices”—with Ron happily claiming the latter (14:32).
    • Quote:

      “For the longest of times, people just made fun of me and it felt like a detriment... for it to now be a thing that’s been able to help me buy a house or have people know who I am—it's amazing.”
      —Ron Funches (14:32)

• Connection with Kids/Families
  • Bryan relates how Ron’s characters (notably “Coop” in Trolls and his role in Inside Out 2) became comfort figures in his own and friends’ households. Ron enjoys being able to reach children and “show them that type of stuff” despite most of his stand-up being for adults (15:24).

Early Life, Comedy, & Wrestling Aspirations

• Chicago Roots & Natural Performer
  • Ron grew up in Southside Chicago, with expressive tendencies and “making fun of people” part of his DNA, though he didn’t initially see it as career potential (18:30).
  • He self-effacingly notes his limited early interests:

    “I either wanted to work in comedy or be a professional wrestler. And I was like, but I’m not big enough… so I had to focus on comedy.”
    —Ron Funches (19:40)

On Parenting and Raising a Neurodivergent Child

• Lessons from Fatherhood
  • Much of the episode’s emotional heart centers on Ron’s experiences raising a now-adult autistic son. He describes the transformation in his own patience, the evolution of his hopes, and how expectations can hinder deeper pride or joy (26:12).
    • Quote:

      “He’s taught me to give up all expectations but keep all hope… you have a kid, you start daydreaming about these things that you want for them… I very quickly had to abandon all of those expectations and just learn to be like, okay, I hope he one day just says, I love you… see, that had gone from me never knowing if he would say that to him being so independent…”
      —Ron Funches (26:12)

• Letting Go of Expectations
  • The hosts and Ron share heartfelt moments about the evolving notion of pride and success in parenthood:

    “Our job as parents is to help our kids become their true selves, not what we want them to be.”
    —Ron Funches (29:49)

Working in Comedy and Show Business

• The Nonlinear Path to “Making It”

  • Ron and Bryan deconstruct the myth of “arrival” in entertainment:

    “I don’t think there really is anything that ever feels like you make it… you can just take those as markers… but overall, I just try to do things that are fun for me…”
    —Ron Funches (32:51)

  • He recounts doing Conan O’Brien (his “marker” moment), opening for Paul Simon, and being praised by Maya Rudolph as highlights, but always with humility and tongue-in-cheek.

• Voice Work & Acting Gigs

  • Ron’s first acting role was on “Portlandia” (no lines, just expressive faces), and his breakout voice gig was as a “space alien princess named Charizard” for a DreamWorks TV version of “Home” (24:47).

• Evolving Interests: Jiu Jitsu & Game Shows

  • He’s now doing jiu jitsu and pilates, interests that have gently displaced wrestling fandom (21:00).

Ron’s Philosophy on Comedy

• Comedy Truths & Delivery
  • Ron shares his comedic philosophy: writing and performing with honesty, rather than typecasting.

    “If I just said what I really believed… people weren’t used to that, and it would make them laugh—a real, truthful, hearty laugh, as opposed to these laughs of ‘oh, that’s clever.’”
    —Ron Funches (39:23)

  • He considers himself an “energy matcher”:

    “If you don’t match [basic respect and kindness] with me, I adjust quickly.” (37:53)

Reflections on Success, Parenting, & Parental Validation

• Mom’s Approval
  • One of Ron’s most validating moments came when his mom, initially skeptical of his comedy career, attended a show, saw him perform, and finally “got it” (29:49).

    “She pulled me aside and was like, ‘You know, I get it. This is who you are, this is what you’re meant to do.’”
    —Ron Funches (29:49)

Ron’s Current & Upcoming Projects

• Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?
  • Ron is a panelist and loves it, hoping to host his own game show one day. He’s also delighting in the chance “to funnel money from corporations to individuals” (43:17).

    “I just hope to host like something like The Price Is Right or something of that nature… would be really fun for me.”
    —Ron Funches (44:53)

• Podcasts
  • Getting Better: A comedic self-help show with affirmations and guest chats.
  • Wagon That Dragon: Ron and friend Joey Serone watch House of the Dragon and discuss, with Ron as the total fantasy newbie.
• Voice & TV Work
  • Continues to voice Coop in “Trolls” and has roles in popular shows (“Loot” on Apple TV, “Inside Out 2,” “Is It Cake?”).

Pop Culture Tangents & Memorable Ronisms

• Koala Chlamydia

  • Great comic riff:

    “I didn’t even know koalas went to Coachella.”
    —Ron Funches (00:00)

    • The hosts are delighted by this “epidemic,” with multiple jokes about koala promiscuity (46:48).

• Robots & Dystopia

  • The hosts riff on Boston Dynamics “dog robots” now used at the White House and joke about Roombas, over-powered flashlights, and how the future is equal parts absurd and “dystopian” (02:59).

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Notable Quotes & Moments (With Timestamps)

• On Parental Pride

  “Expectations sow the seeds of our own disappointment.”
  —Bryan Green (27:54)

• On Comedy ‘Making It’

  “I don’t think there really is anything that ever feels like you make it… just take those as markers.”
  —Ron Funches (32:51)

• On Game Shows & Aspirations

  “I hope to host a game show one day. That’s one of my big goals.”
  —Ron Funches (42:18)

• On the Koala Fact

  “Most koalas have chlamydia… which is crazy. I didn’t even know koalas went to Coachella.”
  —Ron Funches (00:00)

• On Why His Voice is an Asset

  “For the longest time people just made fun of me… for it to now be a thing that’s been able to help me buy a house… it’s just been a thing that helps me.”
  —Ron Funches (14:32)

• Roasting While Kind

  “I really don’t even consider myself that nice… but if you don’t match [my level of respect], I’ll adjust quickly.”
  —Ron Funches (37:53)

• On Perspectives After the Election

  “We have to be those [good people]… we have to embrace those who fear…”
  —Ron Funches (50:28)

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Essential Timestamps for Segments

• Koala Chlamydia Opener: 00:00–00:32
• Boston Dynamics Dystopia (Robots at the White House): 02:00–05:30
• Ron Joins the Conversation: 13:32
• Discussion of Ron’s Voice Acting & Kids’ Preferences: 14:00–15:44
• On Parenting a Neurodivergent Son: 25:37–27:54
• Comedy and Parental Approval: 29:49–31:52
• Philosophy of Honesty in Comedy: 39:23–41:49
• Game Show & TV Work: 42:18–44:53
• Pop Culture Takedowns & “Is It Cake?”: 36:35–37:19
• Koala Chlamydia Deep Dive: 46:41–47:15

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Conclusion & Episode Vibe

True to the “Cheesecake Factory of comedy podcasts” comparison, this episode covers a lot of ground, veering from personal anecdotes to philosophical comedy talk, from affectionate jabs to big-hearted parent wisdom. Ron Funches shines as both an everyman and a uniquely gifted comic voice, offering infectious good humor and honest insights. This conversation is both hilarious and disarmingly human—a love letter to individuality, resilience, and the enduring, everyday weirdness of Gen X adulthood.

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Where to Find More

• Ron Funches:
  • Official Website & Tour Dates
  • Getting Better Podcast
  • Wagon That Dragon Podcast
• Hosts:
  • The Commercial Break on Instagram
  • TCB Podcast TikTok
• Full back catalog: tcbpodcast.com

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Best for: Anyone needing a relatable, thoughtful, and flat-out funny exploration of life, voice acting, comedy, and the power of being different. If you love authentic banter, offbeat wit, and moments that are as moving as they are amusing, this episode is a gem.

Transcript

[Ron Funches]

Almost lived my dream of petting a koala got real close, but they would not allow it. I found out while I was there that apparently most koalas are infected with chlamydia. Don't judge them. It's just a fact that I learned that I am sharing with you. Most koalas have chlamydia, which is crazy. I didn't even know koalas went to Coachella.

[Brian Green]

On this episode of the Commercial Break.

[Ron Funches]

One time I did a show for NPR where I opened for Paul Simon. And I. I know it's one of my greatest trivia things. Sometimes when I do a show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for 30 people, I go, hey, I'm hoping for Paul Simon.

[Brian Green]

You white people, you know Paul Simon. I bet you do.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, that was my opener. I go, every black comedian's Dre. The next episode of the commercial break starts now.

[Brian Green]

Oh, yeah. Cats and kittens, welcome back to the commercial break.

[Ron Funches]

I'm Brian Green.

[Brian Green]

This is my dear friend and the co host of this show, Chris and Joy Hoadley. Best to you, Chrissy. Best to you, Brian. Best to you out there in the podcast universe. Thanks for joining us on the TCB infomercial Tuesday. We could not be more excited on this Tuesday to have Ron Funches come in and sit with us for a few minutes. He is a noted comic. He's a voice actor. Actor. He's an actor. He is. He's really funny. I actually really like Ron and I'm super excited to talk to him. And he's friends with some of the people that we've had on this show before. My memory fails to tell me which friends of the show he is, but. Or he has, but whatever. Anyway, he's in the circle of trust in the tree of trust, and so we'll let him in the nest. With a little baby trust and, you.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Know, with his silky chickens.

[Brian Green]

Silky chickens. There you go. Figure that one out later on down. Down the road. But thanks for joining us. Here we are. So I was reading an article a couple of weeks back, but I thought I'd bring it to your attention. There is so much attention on Trump taking the White House and how already two people have tried to assassinate the president by the FBI standards, not by mine, but have tried to assassinate the president that they are really concerned about people trying to do harm to President Trump, which is terrible. Yeah, like that. There's. That's not the answer, in my opinion. I'd rather have a bloodless argument over politics, if you don't mind. Right. Because it's 2024. Do we really need to be shooting each other up? We don't. We don't muskets anymore. You know what I'm saying? No one's running around musketing anymore. It's like different kind of things going on. They have decided that they are going to be using Boston Dynamic dog robots to troll the White House lawn.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Really?

[Brian Green]

As Secret Service helpers. Agents, tools. Yeah, as helpers. And they've already been spotted in on the White House lawn running around doing practice trials. These dogs. I saw a video of it. It's the craziest fucking thing. I'm like, robots are now protecting the White House robots. We have gone too fucking far. That's for sure. Shut down 8chan. 4chan. QAnon conspiracy, whatever it is, Shut it down. When you need robots to troll the White House, isn't that like a. Isn't that kind of dystopian? A little bit.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

I don't know.

[Brian Green]

I find it dystopian.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Robots are gaining headway, Chrissy.

[Brian Green]

Robots are the wave of the future. Chrissy says robots will soon be with us. Wow. You take some dynamic motors and a little bit of AI, whatever that is, and you throw it into a cauldron with some orange hair and a Ben 10 WA.

[Commercial Break Announcer]

Bam.

[Brian Green]

We're protecting the President from harm with our Secret Service dogs who aren't really dogs. They're what, Chrissy? Robots.

[Ron Funches]

Wow.

[Brian Green]

Robots. I just find it to be really dystopian. Kind of freaky. Aren't.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Roomba is a robot.

[Brian Green]

Roomba is a robot. Technically, yeah. Listen, when I was 12 years old. 12 years old. I won't forget this. The year. Maybe 11, maybe 12. I can't actually, I don't. I don't remember how old I was, but I won't forget the moment that for Christmas, all I wanted was one of those robots. Back in the 80s, they had this version of a robot and it would, you know, roll as walking and its little legs would move, but it was really rolling. And then you could give certain commands and then it would. Yeah, do certain command, like lift your arm, put it down. You know what I'm saying? Or roll this. It had like a little plate you could put on its hands and it'd be like, you know, roll this over to the left or whatever. It was the most re. It was the most ridiculous. You look at it back on it now and it's like, it's not really robots. It's just a motor.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

A toy.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, a toy that's just running around but that is the seedling of robots that now control some manufacturing, a lot of industry, and now apparently, you know, guarding the President of the United States. I wouldn't trust those things to be out. Have you seen those Boston Dynamic videos of those robots that do things? Yeah, some of them are fake. You have to be careful. Some of them are fake.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Yeah, I have seen those and they look pretty crazy.

[Brian Green]

Yes, they do look absolutely insane. You would not want to meet one of those on the street that intended you harm, because it doesn't care. It doesn't. Yeah. To be clear, the Secret Service robots right now, they're controlled by an actual human being. Like, they do their thing, but then if something comes up, then they have to, like, get permission from their overlords, I guess. I'm not sure how that works.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Is it kind of like a drone? Where people kind of like a drone, zoom in and then see what the robot.

[Brian Green]

Exactly. Kind of like a drone. But, you know, drones have been so great for the United States of America. So we're out back last night and I have this super powerful flashlight that I have for emergency situations. So powerful. Super powerful. So powerful that you'll drain it in like 10 minutes if you turn it on its highest.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

That's great for emergencies.

[Brian Green]

It's great for emergencies. You have 10 minutes to get everything done. You need to get done to put the children in the bunker and get secure. Right. But, you know, it's a thing and. Okay. Well, kids, we're fucked up. I forgot to charge the flashlight. It only gave us three minutes. I thought 10. Daddy's going to die now. But everything's gonna be okay. Blue's in charge.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

That's what you could do, is put ship Blue up off to the White House.

[Brian Green]

Hey, listen, if you want a guard dog that's gonna. That is certainly, certainly gonna repel any kind of harm to the President. Blue is your dog, Blues your girl because she is a bitch. That girl is a bitch. She cannot let a conversation go. She just has to be in the middle of it. It's so insanely annoying. Anyway, so we're out there with. And the kids are playing with these, like, toy flashlights, the kind you buy for a dollar at Home Depot or whatever. And so I gave them all little flashlights they can play with. We do shadow puppets and stuff like that. And so one of the kids found that super powerful flashlight in my drawer and ran inside, grabbed it, came. And then I was telling another child of mine, hey, look at the airplane in the sky. It's Like a low flying two seater airplane, the kind that I used to fly when I was training to fly single prop Cessna essentially. And it's not flying very high, maybe 2,000, maybe 3,000ft. And the kid who has the flashlight starts flat, starts pointing the flashlight at the airplane to which it illuminates the belly of the airplane. I, I mean I don't think that much, but I could see the stream in the sky, you know that stream in the sky that was going toward the airplane. And I was like, holy, you can get arrested for that. You don't do that. So I basically jump on my kids, smother the flashlight. That's like 150 degrees. That light gets so hot. Basically it's a fire hazard that doesn't last for 10 minutes. You're fucked. In an emergency, it's going to cause an emergency. That's an emergency in a bottle.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Then you've got the fire going in the backyard.

[Brian Green]

Oh my God. The power went out last night for hours. And, and that was, that didn't feel good. I, I, I can't sleep.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

When the, maybe the plane had alerted somebody that they needed to check out.

[Brian Green]

This area, Secret Service robots were running around town trying to find the source of that one and a half minute long.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

So they just shut the power, they shut the power down.

[Brian Green]

Well, the funny thing was they, you know, it was raining, but not bad. It was, you know, like moderate rain, you could hear the wind, it was a little bit windy, but the power went out. When I, when we got an alert from the power company, they give you like a link to a map where you can see like updates and stuff like that. There were like many people in this neighborhood, around this part of town that were out. So I imagine it was one of those big, you know, transformer stations that blew. Why am I talking about this? No one cares. But anyway, so you know, drones, flashlights, robot, like all those things have done some good for society. Like we have great stock photography of the Grand Canyon now because of drones. But then they're also out there, you know, and homes randomly killing people. And homes on Zillow. That's right. Oh my God. When I was in the house business, you know, I don't know, seven years ago, eight years ago, when I couldn't make a dollar to save my life on any particular real estate project. Yes. There'd be, there'd be contractors or you builders around me that'd be making like a million bucks a house and I'd have the best lot on the street and I'd lose 600,000 that I didn't have somebody else's money. OTM, as they call it, or OPM. Other People's Money. That's right. Anyway, when I was doing that, you know, the drones were just becoming, like, hot for photography. And anytime we put a house on the market, every agent that we would interact with was like, I've got drone technology to, you know, film your house. It's only an extra $30,000. You'd be like an ext. $3,000. Let that come out of your pocket, buddy. No one needs to see the roof of this house to buy it. That's not what needs to happen. Yeah, it's a pretty shot, but I'm pretty sure as long as they live in town and they can go actually see the physical property, they're going to get everything they need out of the house by looking at it themselves. Because when is the next time you plan on flying 60ft above your house? Look at how pretty it is from the sky. It doesn't happen.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

No. I guess it would come in handy, obviously, with lots of land, if you had around the house and you could see the view and the.

[Brian Green]

That I can. If you're building, like, a massive construction project and you need. Or you're, you know, you're moving into a. I don't know, like the villages or something like that, they're kind of showing you where your house is going to be, then I can understand why it might be useful. But it's just a house. Everybody thought the drone shots were going to change the real estate market fundamentally. It was like this group of guys out there, here in Atlanta, you understand we get 10% above asking because of our drone shots. Oh, you do. You do get 10% above asking because of your drone shots. You're a sales guy. Ah. And I used to be one, too. I know what's going on. Anyway, Ron Funches is the voice. He. He is here in our house constantly because he is the voice of Coop in the Trolls movies, which are fantastically popular. And Cooper is one of the more popular figures in there, for my children, at least. He is a noted comedian. He is on tour. He's got dates you can go check out. He's got social media you go check out. And he's got many films and television appearances that you can go check out. We'll talk to him about some of that and we'll ask him about his tour and how it's going, and then we'll try and connect the dots between Ron and Other people who have been on the show many months ago and who they are and how. My brain can't remember any of them. Okay, was it Rachel Feinstein? Was it Gian Marcos Sorosi? Was it Mark? I can't even remember. I don't. Kelsey Cook? Who knows? Anyway, we'll try and put all the pieces of the puzzle together when we get back. Ron Funchus here in our studio in the nest here in. On our TV here, pretty close to us. What do you say we take a break and then we'll get him on?

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Let's do it.

[Brian Green]

Okay, we'll be back as soon as I find the liners. What was that? Did you hear that? It sounded like an emergency. We need a flashlight. That honestly sounded like a bomb went off. That was crazy. Okay, if we might be back, we'll talk to you soon.

[Commercial Break Announcer]

Brian might have just said it's time to take a break, but some of us have to work right now. And by work, I mean gently nudge you, nay beg you to follow us on Instagram at the commercial break and on TikTok @TCB podcast. Because, listen, the more followers we get, the more clout I get with Chrissy and Brian. If you've got something to say, give us a call and leave us a voicemail at 212-4333, TCB or shoot us a text. One more thing. Check out our website, tcbpodcast.com where you can find all of our audio and video and even request a new sticker from the contact us form.

[Brian Green]

Bye. And Ron is here with us right now. Ron, I have a bone to pick with you. It's not your fault, but.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Hi, Ron.

[Ron Funches]

Hi. One of you sounds much nicer than the other.

[Brian Green]

Well, thank you. Chrissy's not that big of a person. She'll settle down after a few minutes. Um, you have captured the hearts and minds of all 13 of my children. You are a voice actor. You're so prolific. But one of the things that I'm sure you get commented on about a lot is your turn in the Trolls series as Coop, which is, by the way, if I have to watch a kids cartoon movie, Trolls is up there on my list of ones that I go, okay, I can watch that one. That's all right. And Inside out two, which I just recently watched with my children, and I learned that you were in that too. Voice acting is. Do you love that? Is that a passion?

[Ron Funches]

Oh, absolutely. I love it mostly because it's a way that, you know, I. There's a lot of different types of voice acting, but it falls into two basic camps, one of which being people who are like mimics and who can do a lot of different style of voices, like Eric Balza, who can be like Bugs Bunny or Tweety or anybody. And then there's just weirdos who have weird voices. And I am in that camp. And so for the longest of times, people just made fun of me and it was. It felt like a detriment to my life. And so for it to now be a thing that's been able to help me buy a house or have people know who I am or. I mean, I've had people friends whose kids were in the hospital and they would have the same type of conversation where they're like, oh, we're in the hospital, My kid's scared. And we've been watching Trolls on repeat, and we've watched it four times before I realized you were in this movie.

[Brian Green]

And.

[Ron Funches]

And then, you know, like, sometimes I'll send little voicemails to kids in that type of situation. It's just been a thing that helps me. A lot of my material on my comedy is for adults. So to be able to connect to a younger generation, to into my own children and be able to show them that type of stuff is always amazing for me.

[Brian Green]

You do have a very unique voice. And so. And now that you pointed out, that's an interesting take on it. There are two types of people. Well, there are celebrities who just use their regular voice, and we know them because we know all of their work. There's the third kind who does, you know, kind of the impressarios that do all the different accents and tones and all that stuff have cartoonish voices. And then there's Ron, who just got a very unique voice. And you mentioned it when you were a child, you probably felt I would imagine I'm not. I don't want to put feelings in your heart or words in your mouth, but I bet that at times that was not the. Like, why was I born like this? Like, why do I have that voice?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah. As a teenager in Chicago who wanted to date women, it wasn't the best voice to have at that time. Now as I've gotten older, people hear the different timbres and that there's everything in my voice. There's warmth and sweetness and kindness, but also strength. So it's really fun now and I just embrace it. And it's one thing sometimes I work with this charity called School Owen Wills here in la where they do things with a lot of after School programs and helping homeless kids and kids who are at risk of being unhoused. And I've gone and spoke with them, and I tell them, like, embrace those things that set you apart, people make fun of you for. Because those are the things that can, you know, help you win and later in life.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. I have children of a number of them, and they're. And they're all over the map with their personalities and their strengths and. And I don't think they're weaknesses. I think they're uniquenesses. Right. So their strengths and their uniquenesses. And one of them is when he gets. When he likes something, he can get obsessed with it. Right. It's over and over and over again. I think repetition oftentimes calms his mind, the anxiety that he may feel. And Trolls was on repeat. Trolls. And then the second one was on repeat for years at. At my house. But he just loved your. The character that you were playing. He became so fatuated almost with that character and with Poppy that it was something that was hard to ignore, how he connected with that character when sometimes I feel like he may not connect with other things that sometimes other people connect with. Right. So it's very interesting that you mentioned that you have a depth and a warmth and a sweetness to your voice, because I think that does come through in a lot of the voice work that I have heard you do. It's very. It's complex. It's like. There's notes and undertones. It's like a fine wine, Ron. Notes and undertones. It's not just a Chardonnay. It's got, you know, sheep poo poo in there, too. So congratulations on all the success. You're all over the place right now. And you grew up in Chicago, in Woodlawn, Chicago, right?

[Ron Funches]

Woodlawn Avenue, Southside Chicago. Yes.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. I grew up not too far away in Oaklawn. Oak Forest. Oaklawn, Chicago. That's where. That's where I was born. Did you always set your eye on entertainment? On being funny, being entertaining?

[Ron Funches]

Well, I think it was more of, like, a natural thing that I didn't know was a natural job path. I just like making fun of people. Yeah. Pretty expressive a lot of times. One of the things that was difficult for me with jobs when I was younger is that if I don't respect you, it shows. And so I've learned to get better at that somewhat, but I've never been good at, like, hiding my real feelings. And so I thought I would just make fun of people and have Fun. And I didn't know I was being like a class clown or anything in school until I actually won class clown in high school. I was just like always the guy on the side making fun of the class clown. But I guess I did it enough that people started to really notice and I just didn't really have. I mean, similar to what you talk about with your son. I'd never. Or I mean, I guess your child. I didn't know if it was your son or your daughter. I apologize.

[Brian Green]

But yeah, he's my son.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, it's your son. That it. I have very limited interests. I didn't have many other like job interests. I either wanted to be work in comedy or be a professional wrestler. And I was like, but I'm not big enough. 5 and 5, 10. So it's not like a really good size to be a pro wrestler. So I had to focus on comedy.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, you got to be super jacked now to be one of those pro wrestlers. Those guys and girls are fucking huge, man. They really are. And they honestly take a beating. Like, I know the wrestling, the storyline is fake and it's probably all, you know, the job, they're jobbing each other and all this other stuff. But you look at. I don't watch a bunch of wrestling. But when you watch some of that wrestling, it's just insane how they beat each other up and yeah, you, I. The doctors who take care of those people are never out of. They gotta be never out of a job.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

True.

[Brian Green]

They're probably always shooting them up with something, don't you think? They got to like, they've got to be taking all kind of pain.

[Ron Funches]

They're always, yeah. Managing pain. There's no wrestler that I know that isn't injured in some capacity. And then a lot of them, you know, you're thinking about the top levels. But it's similar to comedy. You have to work your way up. And so a lot of them are getting hurt for like, you know, $50. No, no health insurance. So it's a, it's a calling.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

I think you gotta really love that.

[Brian Green]

Do you still enjoy wrestling? Is it still something that you're into?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, I think a little bit less. As I've gotten more interested in. I have started branching out. I started doing jiu jitsu and pilates.

[Brian Green]

I read that about you. This.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, yeah. Like them both a lot. So that's got me more interested in watching more jiu jitsu. And I've been just going out to see more live performances in general. A lot of concerts. But yeah, I always will always love pro wrestling, but I go to less events than I probably used to.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. You know, wrestling. I think when you're. When you think about the comedy world, it's pretty well known that it's a circuit, right. You start here in the open mics and you make nothing and you open for that. You're the 17th opener, you know, and then you move on and you move up and then you're headlining your own shows and small clubs and then you kind of work your way up. How did you get started?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, I mean, pretty much that.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Were you working, but Portland, right?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, I was in Portland and in Salem, Oregon, which is where I was living. And I had my son already at the time, so I was just trying to do a lot of. I was trying to get out of open mics as soon as possible. So I was hosting a lot of my own shows in Salem and then I would go out on do bar shows up and down the Oregon coast and the Washington coast for like 75 a night. And then just trying to get better at it as quickly as possible because when I started, my. My son was already 2, so I had to figure out how. I couldn't really just waste time or money with it.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. When you have kids, it puts everything in perspective. It changes the whole. I mean, they say this and it's cliche, but a lot of times cliches or cliches, because they're true, right? Is that when you have a child and you give a shit about that child, your whole universe changes. It's like the world spins on its axis and you. Your true north is always those children. No matter how much you like to take a break and run off to Mallorca for a weekend.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah. There's balance in life for sure. You have as you got to keep your own identity, but I think as you get older is especially. It's nice to not consider yourself the main character in the story anymore. And I'm well aware I'm not like, I'm. What I do is in service of my sons. I'm not. I'm here to prepare them to be the main characters. I'm no longer the main character.

[Brian Green]

That is a very, yeah, self aware, grounded, mature look at life. Can I have some of that? Can you give me. Did I read that you got your big break on Portlandia?

[Ron Funches]

That was one of them, yeah, for sure.

[Brian Green]

That was like your first acting role.

[Ron Funches]

That was my very first acting role, yeah. Just being in Portland, doing standup at the time. That they were shooting in Portland. So they were nice enough that they used a lot of the local Portland comedians. And I don't think I had a single line, but I made a lot of faces and they said some nice things about me that made it stand out a little bit and got me certainly interested in acting and then had some auditions where I bombed terribly. And then it gave me kind of the same feeling of bombing and standup where I was like, oh, I'll show you I can do this.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, I became Fire. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ron Funches]

So I got in the class and then just, you know, slowly got better.

[Brian Green]

And. And so then how. What is your, like, your first voice acting role? How does that come about? Is it just because you have such a unique voice, someone approached you and said, I really want to use your voice and for a character?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, actually, it was, you know, doing standup in LA and people will. Casting directors and things will come to different shows. And I think someone heard my voice and it was a TV version of the DreamWorks movie Home.

[Brian Green]

Okay.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, yeah. And so they did that. And I was playing a space alien princess named Charizard, who was a very sassy lady who said, dang a lot.

[Brian Green]

I know this cartoon because I know this movie. And the same child who loves trolls also loves these home characters. All of my kids love Home, actually. They really enjoy that show. But then there's a television show that also goes around. Look at. Look at how deep, deeply integrated into my children's brain. I feel like. I feel like I'm paying your rent or something.

[Ron Funches]

Trying to get them to come to comedy shows in 10, 15 years.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, they will. I'm sure they will. So can I. Can I talk about your son for a little bit? Is your son autistic? Is he on the spectrum? Is that right?

[Ron Funches]

He is my oldest.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

I have two sons now. My. My youngest is 2 and my oldest is 21. And he is. Yeah. On the spectrum.

[Brian Green]

Are you okay to share a little bit about that? Because I'm very interested. So I always. I have a couple of friends who have children that are on the spectrum of various degrees, and it's not uncommon these days. Tell me. It's like, to learn. I asked this of two of my friends a couple of years ago when they found out their child was on the spectrum.

[Ron Funches]

What.

[Brian Green]

What is the biggest lesson that you have taken away from raising a child that is neurodivergent?

[Ron Funches]

Oh, I mean, there's so many. I think my patience levels are off the chart, which is very helpful when it comes to my career, you know, and wanting to do certain things and just realizing like, life is long and things change. So I. It helps give me a sense of peace and also it gives me a sense of gratitude with everything that I don't take too much too seriously because I'm aware of like the struggles that we've gone through and the changes I've seen in my son and the hard work that he's put in. But the main lesson I always try to put out and I do it my own standup, is that he's taught me to give up all expectations but keep all hope. And those are, wow. Yeah, it was a very wonderful thing. You know, I think when you have a kid, no matter how hard you try, at least for me, you start daydreaming about these things that you want for them and you want for them to achieve or things that you wish you could have achieved and you want to put on them. And I very quickly had to abandon all of those expectations and then just learn to be like, okay, I hope he one day just says, I love you. That would be nice to hear. But even if he doesn't, I'm going to assume he does love me. And see, that had gone from me never knowing if he would say that to him being so independent and having his own part time job and not, you know, telling me he loves me every day, but also wanting to spend as little time with me as possible. Now he's 21, asking for me to take him to the strip club. It's really just like so fun of a life that I have with him now. And it's taught me so much.

[Brian Green]

There are different versions of proud, I think you find when you're a parent. Right. And there are expectations. I thought this a long time ago. I think expectations sow the seeds of our own disappointment in a lot of situations. In almost all situations, if we're trying to tell the future and it almost never comes the way that we want it to, and raising children, it's one of the lessons I'm learning is having younger children that you do have to let go of those expectations because oftentimes those expectations, like the things that you imagine aren't coming true, they're not going to come true, or they're not that version of it's not coming true. But there's a different kind of pride, learning, loving, caring that starts to blossom in its absence. And if you can learn to pay attention for that, to look for that blossoming in its absence, then it's More rewarding than, say, you know, if my kid was on the honor roll or got married, you know, to whatever it was, whatever the expectation was. And the other day, one of my kids, who I don't consider. He's not like a physical kid. He doesn't. He doesn't lift things. He's not strong. He doesn't care about sports. He's very cerebral, very. He's very intelligent, like, book smart. I wanted to move a bed, and I said. Just told him. I said, hey, buddy, grab the end of that bed and let's move it over here. And you know what? He picked it up and he moved it. And when he did, Ron, I swear to Christ, I could. Like, I got chills. I could have had a tear in my eye because I was like, the kid did something physical, and he did it on his own. Like, I didn't have to help him with it. He did it on his own, and it made me proud. And in that moment, I realized there are different versions. There's like. Like, in my expectation was my male son would be able to, you know, throw the football or whatever, it didn't happen. But in its absence, there's this certain kind of beauty in his cerebral ness and his intelligence. And he moved to bed by himself.

[Ron Funches]

Like, there you go. Yeah. Yeah. I think there's always. I think our job as parents is to help our kids become their true selves, not what we want them to be. And if we can help them embrace their gifts and help them instill their confidence and let them know that it's okay to be who. Whoever they are, that. That is, I think, the best thing that you can do. And you get that sense of pride when you do see it, when you see them in their element. And I've seen the reverse with me and my mom. My mom was, you know, she was originally supportive of my comedy career, but as it was going on a while and I wasn't making any money and I had my son, she was more like, hey, you, you've had enough fun. Now it's time for you to buckle down this kid more and quit asking me to help pay your phone bill. And I had to, you know, have some strong talks with her about, like, not reinforcing my own doubts. And we. We didn't get along for a while until she did come to a show, and she saw me perform and saw how the staff treated me and how they treated her, and. And she pulled me aside and was just like, you know, I get it. Like, this is all. This is who you are, this is what you're meant to do. And just getting that type of reinforcement for her really helped me.

[Brian Green]

Isn't that one of the. In my opinion, isn't that one of the best feelings in the world? Like, it brings? Almost like it missed you up a little bit when one of your parents all of a sudden, out of nowhere, left field. My dad isn't particularly supportive of my creative ventures, but all of a sudden, out of left field. One day we were in the car. Car. He pulled the car over and he said, I don't know if I tell you this enough or I don't know if I've ever said this to you, but I'm super proud of you. And I'm super proud of what you've done with your life. And it's not my expectation for you, but it doesn't matter because it's making me, like, it's giving me chills right now just to say it. And that was a moment that transcends time. I can feel it right now. Like, I felt it back then. Did you feel that sense when your mom said, hey, Ron, I get it, it's you. You.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah. No, absolutely. It just, you know, makes you feel like a little kid again. And just having the approval or someone seeing you. Yeah. Made me want to cry for sure.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. I think that the. That little kid, that little child is always inside. I mean, if you go to therapy, you'll figure out that that little child.

[Ron Funches]

No. Every time I wish. I wish there was just a button you could press so where I didn't have to go, like, well, why do you. Why do you feel like you're a burden? Because, Ah.

[Brian Green]

You'Ve done so many wonderful and exciting things in kind of a short period. When did you. When were you on Portlandia? 20, 17, 16, something like that?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, I'm gonna say that that sounds right. Sure.

[Brian Green]

Okay. So in a short amount of time and not a very long time, you've had quite a career already. What is. Tell me one thing that you've done where you're like, holy shit, Ron, you did it. You showed up, like, here you are. I mean, you know that arrival moment when you know that, wow, I'm having some success here.

[Ron Funches]

I mean, I don't think there really is anything that ever feels like you. You make it. That's one of the premises of my own podcast that I do where I just like. Because I think you. The first time I did have that feeling was when I did my first set on Conan o' Brien and Because it was. Because it was another expectation where I said, hey, when I'm on Conan, I can say I'm a national comedian that I wrote, really did it, and I went and I did it and I crushed it and I made him laugh really hard. But I also brought my, my son and my ex wife with me, and I spent all the money that they gave me for the show before I even got there. Then I had to go back to Portland and do open mics, and nobody had saw me on Conan. And so I had to learn very quickly that, like, you can just take those as markers, you know, to. In case people try to knock you down. You can go, no, I did that, this. But overall, I just try to, like, do things that are fun for me and that are. Are interesting for me. But there's certainly been times where I've been like, I can't believe that I'm here. Whether it's like just doing a scene one on one with Maya Rudolph. I remember doing like a scene with her and unloot and just rehearsal, and then they call cut. And she just walks past me and she just goes, God damn, you're good. And I was like, oh, my gosh, Maya Rudolph just told me I'm good at acting. And it made me just, you know, it turned similar to how my mom made me feel. It's just some. Yeah, I've had multiples. One time I did a show for NPR where I opened for Paul Simon. And I. I know it's one of my greatest trivia things. Sometimes when I do a show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for 30 people, I go, hey, I've opened for Paul Simon.

[Brian Green]

You white people, you know Paul Simon, I bet you.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, that was my opener. I go, every black comedian's dream.

[Brian Green]

You brought your ex wife Dakota to Brian is the best part of that story. But I, I often, I get it. Like, you know, listen, podcasting is kind of like the, I don't know, it's the newspaper of 2024 in some senses. Unless you're like, you know, Joe Rogan or Conan o'. Brien. You know this because you're a podcaster. Like, you get out to the people you get out to. But it's very hard to be found. It's not covered by traditional media. Usually unless there's some celebrity of note that does something on a pod, something stupid chicken fry or some bullshit like that. Right? And then. But, you know, sometimes people send me like a screenshot of something. They'll be like, oh, look, you're on the charts. You're here, you're there, you're everywhere. And I go, yeah. The first time that happened, I was filled with pride, and that was awesome. But I put a marker in it real quick because the next day a million dollar check didn't show up to my front door. That's not how it works. It's like, so slodgy, trudgy steps. And it's like, you know, it's. You said this saying, death by a thousand paper cuts. It's progress by a thousand paper cuts. Right? It's. Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

That's how I do my career. That's what most people like. You know, a lot of people go, where do you know? Where do people know you from? And I really can never say because I have, like, you know, I have people. You say where there's, like, families who are like, we've heard you in this and we've heard you in that are. There's people who just saw me and, like, pop up in little cameos on, like, Netflix movies like the six Underground and where people are like, oh, I really like that little cameo you did. And. And it's just. Or me just do. Being a fun guest on something like, nailed it. Where people just like, oh, I like him as a person. And I think that's. I mean, that's really what I'm trying to get across is that, like, put me anywhere. I'm good. You like me. That's what the product is, you know.

[Brian Green]

Were you in?

[Chrissy Hoadley]

In.

[Brian Green]

I'm just asking. I don't know the answer to this, but I feel like now that you said nailed it, that. Were you in Is it Cake? Did you do a guest?

[Ron Funches]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Okay. Yeah, yeah. Another show my kids love. Yeah, we watched that at night when we're going to bed, and it's a lot of fun, actually. I can't believe that. I like a show called Is it Cake? But I actually.

[Ron Funches]

It was so fun. It was hard to find out what.

[Brian Green]

Was cake or not.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

But sometimes you could figure out one of them was cake easily. And then you felt bad for them because you were like, I don't want to rip it apart. Oh, that was easy.

[Brian Green]

That's so good.

[Ron Funches]

I know you've been working for it for 14 hours, but that's cake. Clearly.

[Brian Green]

I saw that sweating going on over there in the kitchen, but I don't think you should be here. No, but you're. You're very nice about it. Like, I mean, you know, and that's. I think that's part of the Ron brand. I Think is that you're. You're very, very nice. You're like very nice and self aware and, and that's hard to believe that you're so good at putting people down. You're so good at being a cutting, cunning comic is because you are so nice. But you're really good at that kind of, let's say, roast type of roasting people.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, I like to be. I mean, I really don't even consider it. I don't consider myself that nice. I just try to come with a base level of respect and kindness and treat people how I want to be treated. But if you don't match that with me, I consider myself an energy matter. I'm happy to adjust quickly.

[Brian Green]

Sure.

[Ron Funches]

So. But I. And then over time I've learned how to read people quickly. So it's just as. That's why I think makes me good at both these things. Because if I give you a compliment or I say something nice, it's because I really see it or I really believe it. I think that's my gift overall is not like being nice. It's like seeing it and saying, saying it and where some people don't. And then I will. But I will also be happy to say the reverse. If you, you know, if I need to put someone in their place, I can see their fault and I will say their fault.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, it's a fresh way of looking at things because I do think a lot of people, and I'm guilty of this too, is that sometimes, you know, you. We compliment to manipulate, we put down to defend or be defensive because we're feeling insecure or vulnerable about something. It's just a lot of emotional manipulation sometimes that goes on in this interpersonal play that we're. We have every single day of our lives. Right. But there are some people who are really good at calling it like they see it. And that at times I think can be startling or maybe even off putting. But it's refreshing also. It's because there's so much of that that goes on that interpersonal manipulation. That's right. And so when you give the truth, it's almost like you don't expect it anymore. Right.

[Ron Funches]

That is so funny that you say that. That's one of my biggest comedy theories because I spent so many of my early years in my career, I think, you know, as for any comedians that might listen, is that I spent so many years just trying to like write a type of joke. You know, you'd be like, I'm gonna write this type of joke. I'm gonna write a fat joke. I'm gonna write a black joke. I'm gonna write a weed joke. And then I learned quicker that if, like, if I just said things, if I said what I really believed in my voice, that people weren't used to that, and that it just automatically, on a base, human level, because they were either nervous or because it hit a bone of truth, that it would make them laugh. A real truthful, hearty laugh, as opposed to these laughs of like, oh, that's clever, or, oh, that.

[Brian Green]

That's.

[Ron Funches]

I didn't think of that. But they're laughing because I believe it and because I'm saying what I truly feel. And I think that. That in comedy, I don't mean to give away my secrets, but it is one of the.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, but you have to be good. You have to take the secret, and then you also have to have the talent, Ron. So don't worry about giving away the. Because most people don't have the talent, the timing, the ability. You talked. Am I right about this? You talked to Mike Pesca. Did you sit down with Mike Pesca? Yeah. So we. So Mike Pesca is a friend of ours, right? And so we just had him on yesterday. And I'm just connecting the dots when you're saying this, that he was telling us that you are a. What did he call it? A comedic philosopher or a comedic commentarian, A comedian, some. Whatever. I was asking. Asking who what. Where were some of your favorite moments from the conversations? And he shared a little bit about his conversation with you and said that he really enjoyed it because he felt that there was a. That your base or your foundation for comedy, your. Where it comes from, the roots. And the way that you. Your canter, your candor, and the way that you present yourself on stage was different than some of the. The other comedies heard. And that's his whole point in doing this series, is to try and get to the bottom of what's making comedy tick and why some comedians, some commentarians like yourself, Rachel Feinstein, and others, can open up minds, push the envelope, you know, stretch the boundaries, make people think about something different and make them realize something about themselves that maybe is an uncomfortable truth. And it was an interesting conversation. Your name was brought up. And now I'm just. I'm just remembering that.

[Ron Funches]

So that makes me feel really good. So I really appreciate hearing.

[Brian Green]

Mike said, you're an all right guy. Mike said, I like that, Ro. All right, so tell us what you're into. I feel like I could talk to you all day long, Ron. So tell us what you're up to now. Are you smarter than a celebrity is? Of course. Great show, Great show. We've had Natasha on and I think we have another panelist that's, that's coming in next week. Tell us about this show. How'd you get involved? How are you enjoying it?

[Ron Funches]

Oh, well, you know, it's based off of are you smarter than a fifth grader? Classic show. Jeff Foxworthy, who would tell you or not. He was the leading person on specialists on letting you know if you were a redneck or not.

[Brian Green]

And then letting you know if you were dumber than a third grader.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah. But now they decided we know we're all dumber than the children. So let's find out if we're smarter than celebrities. And so we get to team up with contestants and try to help them win money. And I'm just a big fan of game shows. I hope to host a game show one day. That's one of my big goals, is to host my own. And so great at it, I think. So I agree with you. And so when I got the opportunity to do this, it was a very easy. Yes. And, and also one of my favorite things is to help funnel money from corporations to individuals.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

I like that.

[Brian Green]

Hey, you have to say that twice to us. You, you like you. I have also thought if I could host a late night TV show or a, or a game show or like a television talk show that's like a dream of mine right now. It seems like there's a lot of game shows to be hosted these days. It's back in form, it's back in fashion after a couple years of kind of going away, so to speak. Do you think that's something in the cards for you? Like tell us, give us a little inside track. Do you think there's conversation where you might be to. Able, able to host a show to tell us who you're in conversation with?

[Ron Funches]

But I mean, I just hope so. I just really want to. I've had, I've had a chance to host a few things on a smaller scale. I hosted a game show for the platform Quibi before they went away very quickly.

[Brian Green]

Oh yeah. Oh, Quibby. I remember that. Yeah. Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

And I really enjoyed it. And I hosted a, a spin off of chopped called chop420.

[Brian Green]

Oh yeah.

[Ron Funches]

Where they people cooked with weed. And it's, it just really, I mean it just kind of reinforced my. What I thought that I would do have a good skill set for it. I enjoy talking to Regular people often more than like celebrities. So I. It's just something that's fun for me and so I hope so. I've been working on some individual ideas on my own, some with some of the people from Are you smarter than a celebrity? And also I have some friends at Fox as well with the math singer people. So. So I just hope to make my own one day. And then also I would love to host like something like the Price is Right or something of that nature. Would be really fun for me.

[Brian Green]

That is a dream fucking job. Can you im Drew Carey is living in the lap of luxury. He just has the best job in the world. He gets to give away a bunch of shit, he gets to have a bunch of fun and he probably works.

[Ron Funches]

He gets to spin a big wheel.

[Brian Green]

That's it. Spin a big Wheel.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

That is my all time favorite game show know there.

[Brian Green]

So I went to LA probably right after he got announced that he was going to take over for Bob Barker. And so maybe he was like half a year, year into this, into this hosting gig. I was out in LA and I was meeting a friend for breakfast in the hills and I end up at this diner and this diner, we're sitting at a table and then right behind us gets sat Drew and he's got a newspaper and he's sitting there drinking his coffee and whatever and maybe he's like two tables behind us. And so I go oh, I, I asked the waitress, I go oh that's, that's Drew Carey. She's like every single morning he's here, he drinks his coffee, he has his breakfast and then he goes, does whatever he does and goes to work. So we said hello and I said oh, you know, the waitress says you're here every morning, you're a regular here. And he told me straight up, look me in the face. He says I just got, I just got an invitation to have the best life ever. If I'm good, I get to keep this going for the rest of my life. And I was like, yeah, you're right. Probably get paid a buttload of money and just be the host of the prices. Right? That would be a dream come true.

[Ron Funches]

I think it would be a great job, you know, especially with my new young son. I'm looking for anything to help me get. I mean I, I always want to do standup. I don't plan to get off the road completely ever. But I could have something that made it not a necessity. I would love that.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, yeah. By the way we were talk, I saw real my Wife was showing me a real. A couple hours before you came in about. You talking about call. Call koala. Most koalas have chlamydia.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, I learned that.

[Brian Green]

Before Drew, and this is an amazing fact to me.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Yeah, it's an epidemic.

[Brian Green]

Why did a koalas get chlamydia? Is that a sexual transmission?

[Ron Funches]

Because they're not careful. Yeah, yeah.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

They're not using condoms.

[Brian Green]

Is it. Is it a sexually transmitted disease for them or did they get it from, like, the tree or. You know what I'm saying?

[Ron Funches]

I think it's still a sexually transmitted disease.

[Brian Green]

Yes. Those koala. Koala. This literally, those koalas, they get it in.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, they're freaks. I don't judge them, though.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

No.

[Brian Green]

Anybody on their sexual pleasure. As long as you're not giving it to me, I don't care. Yeah, that's it. Ron, what's the name of the podcast?

[Ron Funches]

My podcast. I have two now. One's called Getting Better. That's the one that's like, really fun about if you. A comedic self help podcast. I give affirmations and talk to my friends. And then I have a new one called Wagon that Dragon where I just watch House of the Dragon. I've never seen any fan fantasy or any type of Game of Thrones things in my life. And so it's coming at it from a perspective of one of my friend who's seen it a lot. Joey Serone is a great comedian. Oh, yeah. And then myself, who has never seen it. And so we watch each episode and discuss.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

That's fun.

[Brian Green]

You're like me. I've never all. I've also.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Oh, I've seen all of that.

[Brian Green]

Two episodes of that. House of Dragon or what's the other one? Okay, Game of Thrones. Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, you guys can still go get in there. Still. Yeah, still. This premise. You guys redo it.

[Brian Green]

Didn't you have an old podcast too, with someone? You were doing a podcast with someone? I felt like someone came in here and told us they had had you on their podcast as a co host. But maybe I'm mistaken about that. But it also could just be my. My brain. I'm old, Ron. I'm old.

[Ron Funches]

It's okay. You really had a lot of good research and other things that were fully correct.

[Brian Green]

We've had a lot of. We've had a lot of stress in the last week. I don't know. Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

Oh, yeah, No, I went. I. Yeah, we had Tuesday and then I went to. To Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday.

[Brian Green]

Oh, God, were they all wagging Their.

[Ron Funches]

Dragons, they were, they were very happy in their.

[Brian Green]

That's as red as it comes out there in Oklahoma. But, you know, there are brothers and.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Sisters, too, that like to laugh.

[Ron Funches]

One of the things that I, I, I was apprehensive about going right after, and some of my friends especially were. But I think it was a good, good for my own levels of fear just to see that, like to be reminded that a. There were people there who were upset about it as well, but there were people who, who were happy about it, but they weren't like mean or jerks or.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, they weren't waving around swastikas or something.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah, no, they weren't. And so that's good to see. You know, some of them didn't seem like they could, but.

[Brian Green]

You know, when we were talking to Mike yesterday, yesterday, he really reassured us. He said, listen, democracy holds. It'll be tested. You know, the bounds are gonna be pushed, things are gonna be changed, but small incremental changes because, you know, Trump's lazy and he's not, he's not gonna follow through on a lot of this stuff. But then also, there are good people everywhere, and there, and there are gonna be people who fight the good fight. And I do think that, you know, even no matter who you voted for, some people on both sides of the aisle are just loud and moronic, but most people are just trying to live their lives and be good people for the most part. And, you know, maybe on my opinion, on my side of the aisle, so that some of those ideas are a little bit misguided, but that's okay. You know, we'll all get through it together. And hopefully in four years from now, we get to get to vote again.

[Ron Funches]

Well, yeah. I just think also, though, we have to look within. And so often we're like, well, there's going to be some. But there's good people out there. I think we have to be those.

[Brian Green]

Oh, yeah.

[Ron Funches]

You know, and we have to, to embrace the people who right now, who fear the most maligned and feel the most afraid and let them know that we're, we're there for them and that if something was to occur that threatens their freedom or threatens their ability to feel safe here, that we have, have their backs and that we would even, you know, we use our, whatever lawful dissent that is available for us if it, if it comes to that, but hopefully it won't.

[Brian Green]

I agree with you wholeheartedly, and we try and do that here on the show through satire and direct conversation. Conversation. Because everyone deserves to Be who they are, no matter what that is. So as long as it's not hurting somebody else, that's it. Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

You gotta put that second part in.

[Brian Green]

Yeah. Well, I mean, as long as it's protested. If you don't say that here, why don't I reverse it and say as long as you're not hurting anybody else, you deserve to be who you are.

[Ron Funches]

There you go. I love that.

[Brian Green]

Ron, it's been an absolute pleasure.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Thanks for coming.

[Brian Green]

Hopefully we will get to talk to you again. Next Trolls movie that comes out, I'm gonna invite you back. Is there another Trolls movie? Did I. I don't know.

[Ron Funches]

Not that I know of yet, but hopefully soon. I mean, that's always something animated that I'm working on. So we'll see.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ron Funches]

But you get. I would love to. It's great talking to you both. You both have tremendous podcast voices. They're just so easy to listen to. So thank you for having me.

[Brian Green]

That's very sweet. I really appreciate it.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Well, look forward to seeing you hosting that game show. I'm gonna thank you.

[Brian Green]

Manifest that price is right. That's all I gotta say. Bad to say nothing with Drew.

[Ron Funches]

Drew can keep it for five to 10, run for his own game show first. That proves that he's good.

[Brian Green]

Yeah.

[Ron Funches]

And then when Drew is ready, go. Let me on in.

[Brian Green]

Go, Bob Barker. Drew Carey. It's time for a change. And listen, they have television in color now. Let's do it. You can still get your dogs spate and neutered. Thanks very much.

[Ron Funches]

Absolutely.

[Brian Green]

Ron Funches is on tour right now. He is on Are youe Smarter Than a Celebrity? He's got his podcast. We'll put all of the pertinent links inside of the show notes. And we wish you the best, Ron, and hopefully we'll talk to you soon.

[Ron Funches]

Please, it was a pleasure. Thank you.

[Brian Green]

Thank you so much.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Thanks, Ron.

[Commercial Break Announcer]

Since you clearly haven't had enough of me yet, I am back to yap in your ear and subsequently into your heart to tell you to follow us on Instagram hecommercial break and on TikTokCBpodcast. You've heard these liners enough to know that we are desperate for followers. So help a girl out while you're at it. Maybe shoot us a text at 212-4333, TCB or leave us a voicemail spilling your guts and asking for advice. You can also check out our website, tcbpodcast.com if you feel like perusing our catalog or if you're just Board. Now let's listen to some sponsors because they keep me paid.

[Brian Green]

Well, I've seen Trolls so many times, so many thousands of times. The person behind the voice, Coupe, who is by the way, like the. Have you ever seen Trolls?

[Commercial Break Announcer]

Yes.

[Brian Green]

Okay. Coupe is that like, you know, weird looking troll that almost look like a giraffe or something like that. And he gets psychedelic. He's like the psychedelic one. Yeah, but I have Goop is awesome. And that one's for the kids. But Ron Funches is just a wonderful human being. And I, I, I, I didn't get into all of it, but I, he's just, when you watch enough of Ron, caring, kind, thoughtful.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

And he will slice you at the knees. You got to be careful because even that, that voice and that very sweet nature can also roast someone to death. So you got to be careful with Ron. Don't be an asshole around Ron. That's all I got to say. Oklahoma.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

And he won't be an to you. That's the point.

[Brian Green]

That's right. What you give him, he'll give back. And so I had a wonderful conversation, we had a wonderful conversation with Ron. I'm so glad that he came in.

[Ron Funches]

Yeah.

[Brian Green]

We've been trying to get him for or we have been missing each other a couple times over the last couple of months and I'm glad that we finally got it done. Ron funches all the information that I told you while he was here. Same thing. His podcast, are you smarter than a celebrity? Check out all his voice work. And of course, what else did he say that he wanted us to talk about? He's got the two podcasts, two podcasts, Wagging the dragon. Dragon. Comedic therapy or something like that. I think it was comedic therapy. And we'll put the links in the show notes just in case we get it wrong, because we likely will. So just go ahead and look at.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

The show going on.

[Brian Green]

Yeah, he's got a lot going on. And the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of voice acting jobs that he's had, you've probably seen more than one of them because I went through that IMDb and I was scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and loot. Oh yeah, loot. We didn't even talk about loot. Huge. Huge. On Apple tv. Season number two, he said he's filming season number three. That is a great show. I've only watched the first season, but it is a, that's another one of those shows that I've got, you know, waiting in the queue to watch season two. And yeah, you know, I'VE heard from, we've heard from so many people. And I've back channel. Ron is fantastic. And now I know why. Because he truly is. So go check all that out. Give her on a try. Oh, his tour. That's it, his tour. Go see him on tour. He's always touring. And yeah, I hope Ron comes back.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

I do too.

[Brian Green]

I hope most of our guests. There's been, we've said this before, but there's been. We just keep adding to the list of people I want back. We're not culling any from the herd, you know what I'm saying? There could be one or two in there that would just kind of be like, you know, and then we could. So I, I think of the, I think I counted the other day we had, we had like 49 guests. 50 guests or something like that.

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Wow.

[Brian Green]

46 of which we've broadcast as we're recording this. I think there are three, maybe four where I would, there's four that I would say I, I'm okay. Yeah. Right. Two of them I would just say no to. And the other two I would be like, eh, maybe not our lane. Right?

[Chrissy Hoadley]

Yeah, not, not many at all.

[Brian Green]

But then, then we got 46 other people I want to have back. How do I get them all in? Tell me, how do I fit them all in? Anyway, tcbpodcast.com that's where you go to find out more information about the show. All the show notes, the audio, the video, it's all right there from one location. Soon every episode of the commercial break will be on video on YouTube and. And available on Spotify video. I'll let you know when that happens. We're currently testing that platform and we have a few videos. Go. Here's a you want to treasure. You want to do like a little scavenger hunt? Try and find the videos on Spotify of you of commercial break episodes because I've been putting a few up there just to test them. See if you can find them. Dig through the 690 episodes of the commercial break and try and find them. Anyway. I'll let you know when they're up there. But YouTube every single episode. Coming very soon to YouTube 212-433-TCB 212-433-3822 questions, comments, concerns, content, ideas, we take them all. No must, no fuss. Let us know what you're thinking. We'd love to hear from you. Voicemail or text message. Add the commercial break on Instagram, TCB podcast on tick tock and YouTube.com the commercial break. All right. And while I've got you, 12 days of TCB coming the 13th through Christmas Day of December, please join us. We would love to have you. We're gonna have a lot of fun. We're gonna talk a lot of. We're gonna have a lot of laughs, and we'll all commiserate together. Okay, Chrissy, that's all I can do for today, but I'll tell you that I love you. I'll say best to you, best to you. Out out there in the podcast universe. And Ron funches until next time. Chrissy and I always say. We do say, and we must say goodbye.

[Ron Funches]

What the is going on in here?