From 'Jersey Shore' to 'Big Brother,' here are Rhode Island's biggest reality TV stars

Whether it's the luxurious lifestyles depicted on "Real Housewives," the cutthroat competitors on "Survivor" or the quest for love on "The Bachelor," the reality TV genre offers titles that appeal to all types of viewers.

Despite the stigmas that are sometimes associated with reality shows, the category is booming. Almost 80% of adult TV watchers consume reality TV, according to PBS.

What makes the shows so addicting? In part, it's because of the people. More than three decades of modern reality TV have produced a slew of fan favorites, and some got their start right here in Rhode Island.

While not an exhaustive list, here's a look at 10 of the biggest reality TV stars from Rhode Island.

Pauly D

Before he took up the GTL way of life on "Jersey Shore," DJ Pauly D was just Paul DelVecchio from Johnston.

DelVecchio was a disc jockey in Rhode Island before being cast on "Jersey Shore" in 2009, which went on to become a cultural phenomenon that ran for six seasons. Since then, he has also appeared on many other reality shows, including the first "Jersey Shore" spin-off, "The Pauly D Project."

These days, DelVecchio is still performing and also starring on "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

Derrick Levasseur

Derrick Levasseur became the first (and only) winner of "Big Brother" from Rhode Island when he earned the $500,000 prize in 2014.

The former police officer from Central Falls used his detective skills to navigate the game of social strategy. After appearing on "Big Brother," he started several businesses, including several podcasts and a coffee company that donates a portion of proceeds to funding unsolved criminal cases.

After a decade, he returned to reality TV this year on "The Traitors."

"It feels like when someone from Rhode Island goes on one of these shows, the whole state gets behind them, and they're rooting for them. And what other state does that happen in?" he told The Providence Journal in an interview earlier this year.

Jared Haibon

A Warwick native, Jared Haibon became a fan favorite on the dating shows "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor in Paradise."

He eventually did find the one thanks to the "Bachelor" universe. He and wife Ashley Iaconetti married in 2019 at Newport's Rosecliff mansion, and they share two kids.

The couple lives in Rhode Island and owns Audrey's Coffee House and Lounge in South Kingstown.

Olivia Culpo

Although she didn't get her start on reality TV, this list would be remiss if it didn't include Olivia Culpo.

The former Miss Rhode Island, Miss USA and Miss Universe titleholder starred in TLC's "The Culpo Sisters" with her family. The show aired one season, which came out in 2022. While there hasn't been an official cancellation, there's no word that a second season is on its way, either.

Despite the show's uncertainty, Culpo is staying busy these days as she's pregnant with her and husband Christian McCaffrey's first child.

Richard Hatch

Before "Survivor" became the mega-popular competition show it is today, Rhode Island native Richard Hatch won the first season.

He went on to compete on several other reality shows, including "The Biggest Loser," "The Apprentice" and "House of Villains."

Hatch, who is from Newport, has also faced his fair share of legal issues in the decades since his "Survivor" win — he was convicted of tax evasion and served more than four years in prison.

Isabella Barrett

Isabella Barrett and her mother, Susanna Paliotta, of Johnston, appeared on TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras" in 2011.

At the time, Barrett was just 5 years old. Now 18, Barrett runs a clothing brand, House of Barretti, and has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram.

She also appeared on Bravo's "Game of Crowns" alongside her mom and Amazon Prime's "Next Big Thing NYC." On her website, she says she is a self-made millionaire.

Kat Held

Kat Held, a Warwick native, was a mega yacht stewardess on the first two seasons of Bravo's "Below Deck," where she was known for wild behavior and heavy drinking.

She is a Pilgrim High School and University of Rhode Island graduate, and eventually took up yachting "because that would get me out of Rhode Island," she told the Newport Daily News in 2013.

Held has been out of the public eye for several years and is now a lapidarist, according to her Instagram.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck

While Elisabeth Hasselbeck made a name for herself as a television personality and host on "The View" and "Fox & Friends," she got her start as a contestant on the second season of "Survivor," where she came in fourth place.

Hasselbeck grew up in Cranston and graduated from St. Mary Academy-Bay View, an all-girls Catholic school in East Providence before going to Boston College.

“My experience at Bay View was one of the most important opportunities that I ever had,” she told The Providence Journal in 2013.

Claudia Jordan

A one-season cast member on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Claudia Jordan hails from Rhode Island originally.

She was born in Providence and went on to represent her home state in Miss Teen USA in 1990 and Miss USA in 1997.

Jordan's career has spanned television shows like "The Price Is Right" and "Deal or No Deal" and more recently, "Deal or No Deal Island."

Brent Champagne

Cranston's Brent Champagne appeared on the 23rd season of "Big Brother" in 2021. He was the third houseguest eliminated.

The University of Rhode Island graduate was a longtime flight attendant, but these days he is a stock and cryptocurrency investor, according to his Instagram.

Melina Khan is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY Network - New England, which serves more than a dozen affiliated publications across New England. She can be reached at MKhan@gannett.com.