Rhode Island
Celebrity real estate RI: Which famous names bought homes in Rhode Island in 2024?
Behind TikTok Comedian Matt Rife’s Rise to Fame
Matt Rife is a 28 year old American comedian that owes much of his success to one app: TikTok. But before he went viral, Rife actually got his start in entertainment acting in TV shows and movies.
What’s Trending
As the birthplace of celebrities like Olivia Culpo and Debra Messing, Rhode Island is known to breed talent. But it also attracts it — Rhode Island’s real estate market is historically known for its A-list buyers.
Many big names have moved to Rhode Island over the years. Perhaps most notably, singer Taylor Swift bought a $17 million waterfront mansion in Westerly in 2013, which she later wrote the song “the last great american dynasty” about.
And of course, the state was home to a swath of rich and famous families who moved to Newport during the Gilded Age.
Here’s what to know about this year’s biggest celebrity real estate stories in Rhode Island.
Comedian Matt Rife buys 80-acre property in Rhode Island
Earlier this year, comedian Matt Rife bought an 80-acre property in Rhode Island, he said on a podcast in August.
In an interview with comedians H. Foley and Kevin Ryan on their “Are You Garbage?” podcast, Rife said he wasn’t initially considering buying a home in Rhode Island – “it wasn’t even in the top 10 states I looked at,” he said – but ended up finding a property that matched what he was looking for.
Rife said he chose the Ocean State in part due to its convenience for traveling, and also because he was looking for a home in an area near a good comedy scene.
“I got all that for probably the price of a 2 bedroom with no yard in LA,” Rife said.
Other celebrities who own homes in Rhode Island
While there weren’t any other celebrities reported to have bought homes in Rhode Island this year, several other big names already call the state home.
Here’s a list of some of the celebrities who already own homes in Rhode Island:
- Taylor Swift owns a mansion dubbed “Holiday House” in Westerly’s Watch Hill neighborhood.
- Christopher Walken has owned a home on Block Island since 1999.
- Conan O’Brien owns a vacation home in Westerly, which his family bought in 1997.
- Jay Leno has a mansion on Ocean Drive in Newport that dates back to the Gilded Age.
- Judge Judy Sheindlin owns a Newport mansion dubbed “Bird House.”
When it comes to expressing ourselves, Rhode Islanders have elevated license plates to an art form. You might not be able to get a new vanity plate — the state suspended applications in 2021 after a judge ruled a Tesla owner could keep his FKGAS plates — but you can still express your Rhody pride with one of seventeen state-approved charity plates. The program has funded ocean research, thrown parades, saved crumbling lighthouses and even provided meals for residents. About half of the $43.50 surcharge goes to the associated charity, while the other half covers the production cost.
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Atlantic Shark Institute
Year first approved: 2022
Plates currently on road: 7,007
Total raised: $269,530
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse
Year first approved: 2009
Plates currently on road: 5,024
Total raised: $336,890
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island
Year first approved: 2013
Plates currently on road: 2,102
Funds raised: $32,080
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Rocky Point Foundation
Year first approved: 2016
Plates currently on road: 1,616
Funds raised: $50,450
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Rhode Island Community Food Bank
Year first approved: 2002
Plates currently on road: 765
Funds raised since 2021: $11,060*
*Prior to 2021, customers ordered plates directly through the food bank, and total revenue numbers are not available.
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
New England Patriots Charitable Foundation
Year first approved: 2009
Plates currently on road: 1,472
Funds raised: $136,740
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay
Year first approved: 2006
Plates currently on road: 1,132
Funds raised: $61,380 for each organization (proceeds split evenly)
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Boston Bruins Foundation
Year first approved: 2014
Plates currently on road: 1,125
Funds raised: $36,880
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association
Year first approved: 2023
Plates currently on road: 1,105
Funds raised: $37,610
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Bristol Fourth of July Committee
Year first approved: 2011
Plates currently on road: 1,104
Funds raised: $17,640
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Red Sox Foundation
Year first approved: 2011
Plates currently on road: 860
Funds raised: $88,620
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation
Year first approved: 2012
Plates currently on road: 1,510
Funds raised: $33,360
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Providence College Angel Fund
Year first approved: 2016
Plates currently on road: 693
Funds raised: $23,220
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust
Year first approved: 2022
Plates currently on road: 383
Funds raised: $10,640
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
Year first approved: 2022
Plates currently on road: 257
Funds raised: $7,580
________________________
License plate images courtesy of the Rhode island division of motor vehicles.
Day of Portugal and Portuguese Heritage in RI Inc.
Year first APPROVED: 2018
Plates currently on road: 132
Funds raised: $3,190
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will release on Wednesday findings from a multiyear investigation into child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
According to the attorney general’s office, the report will detail the diocese’s handling of clergy abuse over decades.
While the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island is home to the country’s largest Catholic population per capita, with nearly 40% of the state identifying as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center.
Neronha first launched the investigation in 2019, nearly a year after a Pennsylvania grand jury report found more than 1,000 children had been abused by an estimated 300 priests in that state since the 1940s. The 2018 report is considered one of the broadest inquiries into child sexual abuse in U.S. history.
Neronha’s investigation involved entering into an agreement with the Diocese of Providence to gain access to all complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy dating back to 1950. Neronha’s office said in 2019 that the goal of the report was to determine how the diocese responded to past reports of child sexual abuse, identify any prosecutable cases, and ensure that no credibly accused clergy were in active ministry.
Rhode Island State Police also helped with the investigation.
Rhode Islanders who plan to join in the global celebration of Irish culture can choose from big and small events, including a parade in Providence.
The March 17 holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, and many big events will be held the weekend of March 14-15. Originally a modest, religious feast day honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day today is a vibrant, boisterous holiday observed by millions of people regardless of their heritage.
The Providence parade is March 21.
We’ve rounded up 10 more events to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. But first, are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!
Here’s your guide to St. Patrick’s Day fun in Rhode Island:
PlayOn Sports fined $1.1 million by California watchdog over student data violations
Colorado breweries warn new tax hike bills could lead to more small business closures, job losses
Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today
Some Delaware lawmakers question Education Department program cuts
Georgia Lt. Gov. candidate releases controversial ‘Sharia law’ video
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
US submarine sinks Iranian warship by torpedo in a first since World War II
Which oil and gas facilities in the Gulf have been attacked?
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of former supreme leader, tipped to become Iran’s next head of state
Video: Senators Question Kristi Noem on ICE Immigration Tactics
Combustible Republican Senate primary in Texas heading into overtime
-
World7 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO7 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Florida4 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Wisconsin3 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Maryland4 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Oregon5 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling