Introducing Ron Funches

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Monday 6th June 2016

One sweeping accusation often levelled at US comedians, as opposed to their UK counterparts, is that they can be a bit in-your-face; a tad aggressive. Well, Ron Funches is flying in to address that assumption. The softly, slowly, often sweetly-spoken comic is now one of America's best loved new(ish) talents, a regular stand-up guest on the massive talk shows and with an acting CV featuring some of TV's coolest comedies.

So when did the Chicago-born comic realise that, woah, this low-key approach might actually be taking off? "My first appearance on Conan - or the time I got to open for Dave Chappelle in Montreal," he recalls. "It's very nerve wracking to enter anyone else's kingdom but fortunately people like Conan O'Brien, Chelsea Handler and Jimmy Fallon have been very sweet to me."

Funches grew up in Portland, Oregon and as a young comedy fan was heavily influenced by Mitch Hedberg and Dave Chappelle. "My first gig was an open mic in Portland and I was the best comedian you've ever seen," he says. "Just kidding, I was horrible, but fell in love." With stand-up, that is.

He debuted on Conan O'Brien's influential talk show in 2011 and made a lasting impression with that distinctively low-key style (one YouTube comment under a later Conan appearance suggests that "he could read out police reports of violent crimes and it would be soooo calming.")

Funches' chilled delivery also fitted seamlessly into a number of narrative affairs. His most high-profile regular role is in the popular NBC sitcom Undateable, plus he's also popped up on New Girl, Portlandia, Cougar Town, and the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart movie Get Hard.

Even if you haven't seen Ron before, you might well have heard him, as he's done voice work for some hugely popular animated shows too. Is it pretty cool seeing the final versions? "It's amazing! I'm a fan first of shows like Bojack [Horseman] and Bob's Burgers and Adventure Time and to get to work with those people is a dream come true. Hearing my weird little voice coming out of characters is beautiful."

Next for Funches, "I'm in the upcoming Netflix animated series Home," he says, "and the Dreamworks animated movie Trolls," but first we can catch him in the flesh, at the Soho Theatre from June 10th to 18th. This London trip came about due to "my love of Maltesers and Beatrix Potter," he insists, and you wouldn't be at all surprised.

So what will he get up to during his downtime in the UK? "Trying to meet The Queen and shopping and going to independent wrestling shows," he says. "The same things I do in America."

Now if he met The Queen at a wrestling show, that really would be something.

Ron Funches is at the Soho Theatre from June 10th-18th. For more information and tickets visit sohotheatre.com