Comedian Ron Funches is opening up about his short-lived run on “The Traitors,” explaining how his loyalty to Donna Kelce ultimately contributed to his elimination.
Funches and Kelce developed an early bond on the Peacock competition series, thanks in part to her son, Travis Kelce. Both contestants have since been banished from the castle, and Funches says his decision to treat Kelce with kindness raised suspicions among the other players.
Ron Funches His Respect for Donna Kelce Came from His Interactions With Travis Kelce
Funches reflected on his experience during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “Viewer Discretion.”
“Being on the popular show with its celebrity cast was one of the most intense, unique experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Ups and downs,” Funches said.
He added, “Like I said it before, it’s like a long Scorsese movie where I’m like, ‘Oh my god.’ I learned about me. I was thrilled and I never want to watch that again.”
Funches explained that his respect for Kelce came from knowing her son before filming began. He first met Travis in 2024 when the NFL star hosted “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity.”
Calling Travis “an amazing game show host,” Funches said he was immediately impressed.
“And I’m like, damn, this man (is) charming as hell. I get it, this is why you … marrying a billionaire. He is so charming and so sweet and so kind.”
He also recalled how Travis later invited him to a Kansas City Chiefs game, checking in to make sure he made it inside.
“And so I knew whoever raised him was good people,” Funches said. “So when I met who raised him, I was going to treat them with respect and love and joy.”
That mindset followed him to Scotland, where “The Traitors” was filmed — even after Kelce was revealed as a secret Traitor and eventually banished in episode three.
Ron Funches Explains Why He Stood by Donna Kelce
Funches said he did not realize supporting Kelce would hurt his standing in the game. He was eliminated in episode six, which aired January 22, partly because fellow contestants believed he was working with her.
“That was my thing,” Funches explained. “I didn’t know that if someone was a traitor I was supposed to be a jerk to them and be mean to them and ostracize them. I didn’t know that.
“If I had known those were the rules I would have followed them. But I was always taught to treat people with respect and kindness.”
Even after learning Kelce was a Traitor, Funches said he continued to help her during challenges.
“Even by the second roundtable, when I knew she was a traitor, I was gonna still ride with her,” he said. “She’s a kind human and a good person.”
He added, “Sometimes the challenges were a little difficult for her, so I wanted to make sure I was around to help. I don’t see any issue with that personally, but I guess other people did.”
Travis and Jason Kelce React to Their Mom’s Time on ‘The Traitors’
Donna’s sons later shared their reactions on their “New Heights” podcast. Jason Kelce praised his mother’s performance.
“I thought she did fantastic,” Jason said. “Like, I know she was eliminated, but I think it’s really hard to go into those shows as, like, an outsider that you become, like, an easy target to try and maneuver in that show.”
He added, “I loved watching her in it. She was way more deceitful and devious than I thought Mom could ever be, which was surprising.”
Travis agreed, saying, “She stood her ground at the round table.”
“I was so proud of her, man,” Travis added. “She looked like she was having a blast, enjoying it all… it was just so cool to see her in this moment.”
Travis also thanked Funches for supporting Donna, acknowledging that the comedian “probably felt a certain way after he found out she was the secret Traitor.”
He went on to say he was proud of his mom for “giving the world a beautiful message” about embracing opportunities later in life.
Donna Kelce’s ‘Traitors’ Co-Star Reveals How ‘Charming’ Travis Kelce Left a Lasting Impression on Him