Ron Funches reveals how his respect for Travis Kelce made him instantly trust Donna Kelce on The Traitors

Ron Funches was recently in the latest season of The Traitors, and the comedian entered the castle with a competitive spirit. Despite being kicked out of the show in episode 6, his unexpected bond with Donna Kelce became one of the show’s compelling storylines, even as it eventually worked against him.

Now that both are out of the game, Funches is opening up about what the experience taught him, why he admired Donna from the start, and how her son, Travis Kelce, played an unintentional role in shaping his approach to the show. Funches described his appearance on the show as a personal roller coaster rather than just another TV credit.

How a genuine connection turned into a liability inside the castle

Appearing on ESPN’s “Viewer Discretion” podcast, he called it “one of the most intense, unique experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Ups and downs.” 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.”


His respect for Donna Kelce began long before the show aired. Funches first crossed paths with his son, Travis, in 2024 when the NFL star hosted Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity. Funches admitted he had doubts at first, then quickly changed his tune. He said, “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.”

Months later, Travis reached out during one of Funches’ comedy stops in Kansas City, offering tickets to a Chiefs game. Because of that kindness, Funches felt an immediate sense of trust toward Donna when they met in Scotland. He continued, “So I knew whoever raised him was good people. So when I met who raised him, I was going to treat them with respect and love and joy.”

That loyalty became risky once the cast learned Donna was a secret traitor and voted her out in episode three. Funches’ continued warmth toward her raised eyebrows, and by episode six, suspicion sent him home as well. Looking back, however, Funches does not regret it and treasures the bond that he developed with Donna compared to winning the competition.


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