Elizabeth McGraw, Kelsey Swanson and Jo-Ellen Tiberi on episode one of ‘RHORI.’
Scott Eisen/Bravo
Rhode Island
Small State, Big Attitude: How Bravo Brought Its Splashy New ‘Real Housewives’ Entry to Rhode Island
The smallest state with the biggest attitude is already making waves in the Real Housewives franchise.
Last May, Bravo announced that Rhode Island would be the latest addition to its repertoire, enticing viewers to see what the women of the teeny tiny state could be getting into. As it turns out, there’s a lot going on in the smallest state in the nation.
The arrival of the new series arrives amid the landmark 20th anniversary of the whole franchise itself, as The Real Housewives of Orange County debuted on March 21, 2006. It’s a monumental year for the reality television phenomenon that will later be celebrated with The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th special this year.
NCBUniversal’s evp of unscripted content, Rachel Smith, tells The Hollywood Reporter that it was not a “conscious decision” to launch a new series, even though it’s such “an auspicious occasion this year.” Instead, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island naturally presented itself.
Creating a new Real Housewives is a tall task, one that can be birthed in many ways. Sometimes, Bravo comes across a new dazzling location that draws in interesting talents; in other cases, a promising cast member is all it takes to start building a new show.
The latter of which happened with Mary Cosby, the beloved star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Smith confirms. But with Rhode Island, she explains that a co-worker took a trip to the state and “was really struck by what an interesting ecosystem” the New England location had to offer.
“She saw people jumping on their boats and going to lunch. It was very visually aspirational,” Smith says, adding that upon some digging, they learned that The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Dolores Catania, who appears on RHORI as a friend, had a connection to the women who now make up the main cast.
“That then led us to a kind of whole connection of women in Rhode Island that we found through this Dolores connection,” she adds. “We’ve really fell in love with them.”
When scouting out new locations for a potential Real Housewives, Smith explains that the network strives to “be representative of the whole swath and tapestry and diversity that is the United States.” Prior shows, and where they are based, also weigh into where a mint series could potentially spawn.
“We’re looking at how many Housewives we have in total, and what’s already been represented culturally, geographically, and how we can complement that,” she notes. Rhode Island has already been compared to New Jersey — and not just because you can drive to both of the states in roughly four hours.
The tight-knit community, family-forward ideals and Italian influences are all clear parallels, but the women of Rhode Island stand apart. Smith herself references one of the show’s key descriptors (“It’s a small state with a very big and distinct personality”) as a contrast, though the luxury coastal setting also naturally made the series optically stand out from other shows in Bravo’s discography.
“This is a show, visually, that’s on water. Living around water is very beautiful and distinct to look at,” she says. “We were all so taken with the visual when we were first casting [RHORI] and learning about the women; Like, Liz lives right on the water, and then she’ll go jump in her boat and meet her friends for lunch. Everyone else [on another Real Housewives] would use their car.”
As the Real Housewives has evolved over its two-decade tenure on air, what it means to be a Real Housewife has also certainly changed.
Rhode Island kicks off with Liz McGraw deeming herself the “Cannabis Queen,” as she and her husband own the state’s most successful cannabis dispensary; Rosie DiMare brings up a rumor that Jo-Ellen Tiberi is a “swinger”; and Kelsey Swanson admits that her boyfriend spends half of his year in Miami with his other girlfriend (and the cast speculates that she might have another boyfriend, too).
There’s certainly a lot going on, but the willingness to bare all for the cameras and leave no stone unturned in the women’s personal lives is representative of what is expected of the modern Housewife (on Bravo’s terms, that is).
“During our vetting and casting process, a price of entry is that you have to be open and real about your life,” Smiths says of the cast’s candid nature, adding, “If you’re trying to conceal things that are genuine, then don’t participate. This isn’t the show for you.”
Dolores Catania, Elizabeth McGraw, Alicia Carmody and Jo-Ellen Tiberi on ‘RHORI.’
Scott Eisen/Bravo
The women of Rhode Island could have picked up on this upfront requirement upon watching any of the other modern series, with Smith asserting that “by the time everyone signed on, they really understood that they were making a choice to share their lives.”
The unconventionalism of some elements of the cast’s lives, too, pulls the curtain back on the life of a modern Housewife.
“It feels very contemporary and of the moment,” Smith says of varying occupations and relationship structures of the RHORI women. “There are many ways to be in a relationship. There are many ways to parent, there are many ways to be a working mother, and these are all the universal themes that get explored in Housewives in general that make it so relatable. And this felt like another iteration of that, where these are real women living, hustling, working, mothering, being friends, living their lives, and without self judgment in 2026.”
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island bared all of their deep, dark secrets right from the jump, and Smith promises that even more drama will come as the season unfolds. “[Season one] is jam-packed with surprising and great story. These storylines around these marriages and what lies behind this surface just intensify, and it just becomes more and more fascinating,” she teases.
The Rhode Island-based Housewives also features quite the reality TV crossover, with Bachelor veteran Ashley Iaconetti making the jump from ABC to Bravo. Some may assume that a woman hailing from another profound reality TV franchise could have turned off the network during casting, but Smith asserts that was not the case. Instead, Ashley’s outside perspective, being the only woman who was not born and bred in Rhode Island, offered “viewer proxy input for the audience.”
“[Ashley is] the outsider, and she can break down for you what Rhode Island’s like and what the customs are and the idiosyncrasies of this group in a way that’s slightly more objective, because she isn’t from there. That was very, very appealing to us more than anything else,” Smith notes. “It wasn’t stunt casting, it wasn’t manipulated. We wouldn’t have gone in that direction.”
Solidifying its weekly air date on Sundays after premiering last Thursday, episode two will shed even more layers of the onion that make up RHORI. “The small town, big lives theme that [comes from them living in] such a small and intimate community” will predictably continue to deliver a compelling narrative, Smith notes.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island are already off to a splashy start, one that not only compliments the preexisting Real Housewives slate, but restores it to its messy, expensive roots.
“I think Rhode Island just stands on its own two feet,” Smith adds. “It has such a different vibe, and people are just gonna fall absolutely in love with these women.”
Ashley Iaconetti and Rosie DiMare on ‘RHORI.’
Scott Eisen/Bravo
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island airs Sundays at 9 p.m. New episodes stream Mondays on Peacock.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — In an unexpected development, R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green announced Wednesday she is recommending the state relinquish control of the Providence schools by July 1.
The commissioner will make the recommendation to the R.I. Council on Elementary and Secondary Education on May 26, saying her decision came after “deep deliberation and consultation” with city and state leaders.
“This is an important moment, and I want to be clear: this conversation is happening now because of the work you — the students, families, educators and support staff, the community,” Infante-Green wrote in an open letter to the Providence Public Schools community.
If the handoff is successful, Providence would regain control of its school district for the first time since November 2019, following a devastating Johns Hopkins University report documenting systemic failures.
Infante-Green’s decision represents an about-face from Tuesday when she told reporters that she wanted to begin transitioning the district back to Providence this summer, but with the eventual handoff not happening until July 2027.
“I’m the one who put the line in the sand and said it’s going back in 2027,” Infante-Green said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, internal negotiations spilled into public view, exposing tensions over how the transition would unfold. On Tuesday, Infante-Green spokesperson Victor Morente chastised the Providence School Board for making those internal discussions public.
“Violating the confidentiality of these meetings undermines the mutual trust needed for a successful transition and raises serious questions about board leadership’s ability to manage complex, high-stakes negotiations,” Morente said in a statement.
In a draft order Infante-Green plans to recommend to the council, the commissioner outlined a series of steps the district should take to support its “long-term success.”
“The commissioner hereby states her firm conviction that the progress made by PPSD while it was under state control will not continue, and in fact student achievement in the district will regress, if the following measures, or substantially similar measures, are not undertaken by the responsible parties,” she wrote in the order.
The recommendations include hiring a board coordinator, commissioning a third-party review of governance strategies, properly funding schools and requiring training on the R.I. Code of Ethics.
The state’s nearly seven years running the problem-plagued school district has been a mixed bag. In her letter, Infante-Green cited examples of “measurable progress” during state control, including stronger academic outcomes, higher graduation rates and improvements in chronic absenteeism.
Yet only a third of students are proficient in English language arts, and just 31.4% are proficient in math, according to the latest standardized test scores. Many local and state leaders have also characterized the state takeover as a failed experiment, accusing RIDE of repeatedly moving the goalposts on measures of success and the return of local control.
The timing of the handoff to local control would come at the same time state and local politicians are vying to keep their jobs.
Gov. Dan McKee is trying to fend off a challenge from Democratic rival Helena Foulkes. Foulkes has said, if elected governor, she would fire Infante-Green and return local control to Providence.
McKee said Tuesday “the time has come” for the schools to go back to Providence.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley is facing his own Democratic primary challenge from state Rep. David Morales. Both men have supported regaining control of the Providence schools.
According to her draft order, Infante-Green said she would maintain authority over the schools until they are handed off. Until that time, she would retain “the right to rescind or modify” the order, she wrote.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.
Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News and co-hosts Behind the Story. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter and Bluesky.
Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Facebook, X/Twitter and Bluesky.
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Three people were stabbed on a Rhode Island beach Tuesday as hundreds of teenagers packed the area, forcing beachgoers to flee.
The victims were found at Narragansett Town Beach after police officers responded to the crowded scene amid reports of violence. The three unidentified individuals sustained minor stab wounds and were taken to a local hospital for treatment, Narragansett Police said.
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Three people were stabbed Tuesday as hundreds of beachgoers packed Narragansett Town Beach in Rhode Island, police said. (Narragansett Police Department)
No suspects have been identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the stabbings.
However, several other disturbances broke out as hundreds of people on the beach attempted to leave simultaneously, officials noted. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene.
OUT-OF-CONTROL TEEN MOB IN DC REVEALS FAILURE OF BLUE CITY SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES
Two unidentified adults were arrested and charged with simple assault, resisting arrest, and obstruction of justice. Police noted these arrests did not appear to be related to the stabbings.
The incident came amid a wave of teen violence across the country. Over the weekend, teenagers in Washington, D.C., got into a chaotic brawl inside a Chipotle restaurant. About eight teens could be seen throwing punches and hurling restaurant furniture at one another as innocent bystanders huddled for safety in a corner of the establishment.
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All of the suspects were dressed head-to-toe in black, with some wearing hoods and masks.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Helena Foulkes has opened up a 20-point lead over incumbent Dan McKee in the Democratic primary for governor, with just three months left before the first ballots are cast, an exclusive 12 News/Emerson College poll released Tuesday shows.
The survey of 565 likely Democratic primary voters finds Foulkes at 40% and McKee at 20%, with 37% undecided and 3% saying they support someone else. The 12 News/Emerson poll is the third survey in the last two months showing McKee down by double-digits.
“The race for governor hasn’t moved in six months,” 12 News political analyst Joe Fleming said. “Helena Foulkes is still holding a commanding lead. McKee has done nothing that’s moved the needle to close that gap. And he’s running out of time very quickly.”
McKee — who is seeking to extend his tenure as governor to 10 years — is viewed unfavorably by 60% of all voters and favorably by only 21%. McKee’s numbers are better but still negative among likely primary voters, 50% of whom view him unfavorably. Among registered Democrats only, McKee’s unfavorable rating is 43%.
A key challenge for McKee: he is underwater by 14 points among undecided primary voters, with 26% viewing him favorably, 26% viewing him neutrally, and 40% viewing him unfavorably.
“If you’re being viewed unfavorably by the undecided voters, how are you going to get their votes?” Fleming said. “He’s had the last five or six months as the governor who’s out there all the time to try to move the numbers — the numbers have never moved.”
(Story continues below.)
Foulkes, a former CVS executive who placed a close second to McKee after a late surge in the 2022 primary, remains less of a known quantity to voters despite her lead in the primary. Her numbers among all voters are slightly negative, with 27% viewing her favorably and 29% viewing her unfavorably, but over 40% of voters either view her neutrally or have never heard of her.
Unlike McKee, however, Foulkes is viewed positively by likely primary voters, at 35% favorable and 23% unfavorable, though even among that group 42% express no opinion about her. Her numbers are similar among registered Democrats.
Fleming noted Foulkes has a significant financial advantage to reach voters who haven’t formed an opinion yet, with $3.6 million in cash on hand compared with McKee’s $1.4 million. “She can spend it over the next three and a half months,” he said.
Less than three hours before release of the 12 News/Emerson poll, the McKee campaign announced that it had conducted its own survey last week. But the campaign didn’t reveal whether McKee was behind or ahead, and the governor told 12 News on Tuesday, “I don’t have those numbers.”
McKee’s campaign poll tested a variety of attacks on Foulkes, and his campaign released a memo arguing that the attacks would shift some voters against her. The Foulkes campaign did not immediately respond.
The 12 News/Emerson poll was conducted May 14-16 and surveyed 1,000 likely Rhode Island voters using text-to-web and online panel interviews. The overall credibility interval, similar to a poll’s margin of error, is plus or minus 3 percentage points, rising to 4.1 points for the Democratic primary subset.
McKee, Foulkes both lead November election
Yet the 12 News/Emerson poll also shows that if McKee finds a way to turn around his campaign and defeat Foulkes in the primary, he is in position to win another four years as governor.
Among all 1,000 likely voters surveyed, McKee leads a hypothetical November election matchup with 33%, against 22% each for the Republican nominee and independent Ken Block, while 17% are undecided and 6% are supporting someone else.
(Story continues below.)
Foulkes fares even better in the general election matchup, with 39% support, followed by the Republican nominee at 21% and Block at 19%, with 18% undecided. Two Republicans, Aaron Guckian and Elaine Pelino, are vying for the GOP nomination.
Block, a Barrington businessman who ran for governor as a third-party candidate in 2010 and a Republican candidate in 2014, pulls votes from across the political spectrum. In a race against McKee, Block wins 16% of Republicans, 14% of Democrats and 30% of independents.
“Ken Block is going to divide Republican votes,” Fleming said. “So if he’s dividing the Republican vote, it’s going to be very difficult for a Republican or an independent to win the race over whoever the Democratic nominee is.”
(Story continues below.)
Block is better known than Guckian, who was the 2022 GOP nominee for lieutenant governor. Among all voters, Block is viewed favorably by 19% and unfavorably by 23%, with the rest neutral or unfamiliar. Guckian is viewed favorably by 10% and unfavorably by 15%, but nearly half of voters have never heard of him.
Most voters on the fence in AG primary
The 12 News/Emerson poll also tested the Democratic primary for attorney general, which is an open contest since incumbent Peter Neronha is term-limited.
The race is wide open.
The survey shows former R.I. Cannabis Control Commission chair Kim Ahern and Warwick state Rep. Joe Solomon Jr. tied at 9% each, trailed slightly by former Neronha policy chief Keith Hoffmann and Barrington state Rep. Jason Knight, both of whom are at 5%. But almost three out of four voters — 72% — are undecided.
Fleming said all the candidates need to continue raising money to get their message out to voters.
“What could help in this election is the Democratic Party endorsement,” Fleming said. “A lot of times an endorsement doesn’t mean that much, but right here you have four candidates running, and none of them are well known at all. If you have the party endorsement, that might pick you up 4% or 5% of the vote.”
More results from the poll will be released tonight on 12 News at 10 and 11 p.m.
Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi’s Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Bluesky and LinkedIn.
Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter and Bluesky.
Alexandra Leslie contributed to this report.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
Follow us on social media:
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