A look back: Comedian Rife named among ‘people to watch’; Move to N.S. among top stories in 2024

NORTH SMITHFIELD – With the new year fast approaching, Northern Rhode Island News On the Web is taking a look back this week at the people and things that made headlines, bringing thousands of readers to the website in 2024.

Among our most-viewed stories of the year was an article announcing the news that comedian Matt Rife had purchased a home in North Smithfield.

NRI NOW first reported the sale of a massive, 85 acre property last April following a dive into recently filed town property records, a routine part of our coverage, as our regular readers will know.

At the time, it was unclear who was behind the purchase of a scenic lot that featured six fireplaces, three balconies, a wine cellar, a game room and a two-stall shooting range, along with a horse farm and secondary structures including a pool house. We noted that the deed listed “SER Real Estate, LLC,” as the new owner, a company owned by Benjamin Leitman, a business manager for some of the biggest names in comedy, and managed by Christina Shams, California-based talent agent who works with stand-up comedians and comedic actors, according to records filed with the Secretary of State.

Months later in August, a reader made us aware of speculation in The Providence Journal that the property had been purchased by Rife. NRI NOW followed up on the story, matching details from our original piece to statements made by the comedian himself on the podcast Are You Garbage? that month.

In an interview, Rife said he was looking for an area with a good comedy scene, and that with Comedy Connection in Providence and the area’s proximity to Boston, Rhode Island fit the bill. He noted that his new home was just 20 minutes from The Conjuring House in Burrillville, where Rife reportedly spent two nights in 2023

Soon after, we were contacted via email by Rife himself, along with a member of his management team, asking that the address of the property be removed from our article. We confirmed that Rife was, indeed, the new owner of the North Smithfield home and complied with the request, removing information on the exact location to help protect the privacy of the popular comedian, who had a new special released on streaming service Netflix that very week.

Rife has since been spotted by fans at the Target retail store in Lincoln. And our piece has been viewed nearly 19,000 times, leading other local media to follow suit with stories that have included speculation that Rife could purchase The Conjuring House in Burrillville, where he took advantage of the “ghost tourism” offered on the Round Top Road property prior to its recent closure. On social media site X, YouTube star Elton Castee said he and the comedian wanted to buy it from owner Jacqueline Nuñez.

This week, the 29-year-old Ohio native was named among People to Watch in 2025 by The Providence Journal, which noted that Rife’s Stay Golden Tour will close the year Dec. 31 at Boston’s TD Garden.