Ron Funches Pursues Autism Diagnosis After The Traitors

Comedian Ron Funches shared in January 2026 that his participation in the reality competition series The Traitors led him to seek an autism diagnosis. Funches, who has a son named Malcolm, 21, who was diagnosed with autism at age two, initially saw himself solely as an advocate and ally. However, observing his own interactions and feelings of being misunderstood during the show motivated him to investigate further.

Funches admitted that he didn't realize he might also be autistic, believing his directness was simply not being comprehended. He stated, "the way I felt I wasn't being comprehended or understood while I thought I was being direct and seeing some of my own mannerisms made me start the process of going to get a diagnosis." He also noted he "can be extremely unaware of obvious things."

He stressed that his sharing this news was not an attempt to justify his behavior on The Traitors. Instead, Funches views the outcome as a personal victory. He expressed that if being isolated and misunderstood on the show helps him understand himself and his son better, it is a success he is happy to share, drawing parallels to past discussions about his son's autism in his stand-up comedy.