Ron Funches – Undateable

By starrymag | June 5, 2014

Q) What are the recent projects you are working on?

A) I just got done working on an Internet talk show with Funny or Die. I worked on a small part of a movie with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart. I also have a half hour comedy special premiering on Comedy Central on June 25th.

Q) Please tell us about your character Shelly on “Undateable.”

A) Shelly is wonderful! He’s a sweetheart. He’s a bit of a space cadet. He kind of reminds me of Phoebe from “Friends.” He’s just kind of a chill guy who wants to eat candy and chill out. He has a little bit of a confidence problem though when it comes to the ladies.

Q) What was it about the show that made you want to be a part of it?

A) The fun and money is a good part of it. Also, just the chance to work with a bunch of my friends and just have fun. Not that many shows let you ad lib and have so much say in what your character is going to do. I knew it was a rare opportunity and what makes me excited about it and want it to succeed.

Q) Was there anything you added to the role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) They started tailoring Shelly around my comedy and the way I usually am. It was more half and half. I would say maybe just the fact that he is super laid back and maybe more than they originally entailed. Over all, it’s just a little bit more hyped up than I am and he is a little bit more naive and sweeter than I am.

Q) What makes someone undateable?

A) A lot of things can make someone undateable! A lack of confidence. Not knowing your own self worth. It could be just not taking care of your personal hygiene. There are a lot of ways that make someone undateable. Just for me, most of all, it’s if you’re not willing to have an open mind and if you’re not willing to be silly. If you’re so uptight all the time, that’s undateable for me.

Q) You have great comedic timing. Is it something that has come natural to you or have you worked to hone it?

A) It’s both! What you call “comedic timing” was a lot of lisp and speech impediment issues for me at first. Then, honing it just doing standup for the past almost eight years. So, it’s through experience and also you can see the way I talk is a little bit different just naturally.

Q) How old were you when you realized you could really make people laugh?

A) Probably when I was about five or six years old. I remember being grounded by my mom and she sent my sister and I to our room. I just remember making fun of my mom and my family to my sister and my sister cracking up. My mom was behind the door laughing and ready to come in and be mad at us, but she thought the things I was saying were so funny she started cracking up. I thought, “Maybe I’m a funny person.”

Q) What was it that you decide you could do comedy for a living?

A) I just knew in my early twenties that I wasn’t really into doing anything else. When I started, I had to give it a full shot or try something else. I had no idea what else. So, it was more just desperation than confidence.

Q) Bill Lawrence is an Executive Producer on the show. What’s it been like working with him?

A) The best! He’s super cool. I kind of want to make jokes about it and call him a jerk, but he’s not! He’s just awesome to be around. He’s professional and he makes you feel confident. We’re in a place where people choose to go the other way and want to make you feel less than them. Bill has no ego. He’s more than happy to advise and if you can come up with a better joke than they wrote he is happier. His whole goal is to make this show as good as possible without any kind of ego. That’s just refreshing to see in Los Angeles.

Q) How did you celebrate the premiere of “Undateable?”

A) By doing comedy! I was at the San Diego American Comedy Company.

Q) Getting to work with your friends has to create some pretty funny moments. What were some of your most memorable moments from filming “Undateable?”

A) Probably when we found out when Bianca [Kajlich] was pregnant. That was probably my favorite moment because she called us over and she made a prank out of it. We knew she had been to the doctor, but she told us it was for her leg. She was like, “Do you guys want to see the x-ray?” Then, she pulled out her ultrasound and Rick just started crying. He just started bawling like a baby because he was so moved. I knew we were more than just coworkers and we’re like a family. She was so happy and we were so happy for her. Just the fact she chose to include us in that meant a lot to us.

Q) What do you think it is about “Undateable” that will make people want to tune in and watch?

A) I think that the fact that there isn’t really anything like it out right now. There are shows that focus more on sarcasm and being kind of mean to each other. This is a show about a group of friends that are sweet to each other because they don’t have anybody else since they don’t know how to interact with the outside world. A lot of people think the show is just about a bunch of bros that want to get laid. It’s not about that at all. It’s about a group of oddballs (like my personal friends) who are there for each other when people don’t understand them. I think that’s what makes the show great.

Q) Since you are a part of social media, did you enjoy the instant feedback you received after the show premiered?

A) Yeah! It was surprisingly positive. I’m on Twitter quite a bit so I am just used to people saying bad things about you. That’s just kind of what I expected. I was like, “Oh no, we worked on the pilot so long ago. The show changes and gets better over time.” I was so worried that people were going to see this one episode and just go, “Oh it sucks!” There were just some people who were really positive about it and real supportive. That was the most surprising thing.

Q) What would you like to say to everybody who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I would like to say thank you! Thank you very much! I can’t do anything so I really need your help. If you don’t come see me, I don’t know what my other options are! We’re in it for the long haul together. I appreciate it. I’ll do my best to keep getting better at comedy. Keep coming out and support it. Watch “Undateable!”