First Tweets from Rhode Island's Most Influential People
GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team
First Tweets from Rhode Island's Most Influential People
Last week, in honor of their eighth birthday, Twitter launched a website that allows users to go back in time and see their--or their favorite personalities'--first tweets.
Find your first tweet here
Since its inception in March of 2006, Twitter has amassed more than 500 million users, allowing members to share their thoughts--500 million daily--with the world. Even the President of the United States is an active user, and made social media history when his 2012 tweet was retweeted 779,565 times--more than any other in history.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe site has become one of the most popular social media sites in the world, and members have discovered unique and interesting ways to represent themselves.
Some use Twitter to reach out to the community:
Others to connect with fans, or each other:
And others as parody:
How Twitter works
Each Twitter user is assigned a Twitter handle, which is the @ symbol followed by an account name of the users choosing. Twitter users micro blog by tweeting, which is a post limited to 140 characters. Twitter users are also allowed to post photographs and video, as well as retweet and favorite other users posts.
While some used their first tweet to offer a witty or interesting comment, others chose to forgo the comedy for something more serious.
Check out the slideshow below to see what the famous and prominent members of Rhode Island had to say in their first tweets.
First Tweets from Rhode Island's Most Influential People
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Talk show host for The View, a Cranston native
Tweets: 2,571
Followers: 369 K
First Tweet: MY FIRST DAY ON TWITTER!-such a rookie - March 26, 2009
Gordon Fox
Former RI Speaker of the House of Representatives
Tweets: 170
Followers: 1,645
First Tweet: As I go door-to-door, many people want to hear about the school funding formula and other goals we've accomplished: http://gordonfox.com/gordonfox.com/accomplishments.html - October 22, 2012
Julie Tremmel
Former WJAR-10 reporter
Tweets: 181
Followers: 147
First Tweet: Looking for story ideas tonight - December 28, 2010
John DePetro
Radio Talk Host for WPRO
Tweets: 27.7 K
Followers: 3,837
First Tweet: trying to figure out twitter - April 6, 2009
Carolyn Rafaelian
Founder of Alex and Ani, a Rhode Island company
Tweets: 1,761
Followers: 9,188
First Tweet: Twitter and facebook down? Well if you ever wanted know how to test my patience... Bingo. - March 14, 2011
Lincoln Chafee
Governor of Rhode Island
Tweets: 2,669
Followers: 9,374
First Tweet: Announcing my independent campaign for RI Governor @ Iron Works Tavern in Warwick tomorrow morning - all are welcome! http://bit.ly/6927sX - January 3, 2010
Gina Raimondo
General Treasurer, Candidate for Governor
Tweets: 1,065
Followers: 6,365
First Tweet: Thanks for following my new twitter feed! I hope to make regular updates about my ongoing work as RI's newest Treasurer. - January 20, 2011
Allan Fung
Cranston Mayor, Candidate for Governor
Tweets: 1,341
Followers: 3,117
First Tweet: Ribbon cutting at Brewed Awakenings in Cranston!! Come down for some great coffee and treats - October 17, 2012
Blu Cantrell
Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, born in Providence
Tweets: 2,177
Followers: 4,989
First Tweet: Just setting up my account. ready to get back in the game - January 7, 2010
Taylor Swift
Musician, owns house in Westerly
Tweets: 2,169
Followers: 39.9 M
First Tweet: apologizing to a very needy cat for being gone so long - December 6, 2008
Olivia Culpo
Miss Universe 2012, native of Cranston
Tweets: 2,808
Followers: 88.5 K
First Tweet: Just do you. - May 6, 2011
Debra Messing
Actress, best knoen for Will and Grace, raised in East Greenwich
Tweets: 4,703
Followers: 187 K
First Tweet: HELLO!! My very FIRST tweet! Any others you've seen were FAkES! So i thought I'd enter the 21st cent., but bear with me! I'm a newbie! - February 23, 2012
Mena Suvari
Actress, fashion designer and model, born in Newport
Tweets: 13.8 K
Followers: 91.1 K
First Tweet: what up tweeties? follow me. goodtimes - June 4, 2009
The Farrelly Brothers
Directors and Producers, best known for Dumb and Dumber, raised in Cumberland
Tweets: 424
Followers: 28.7 K
First Tweet: @alyssa_milano, will you please give us permission to follow you? Pete & Bobby - February 24, 2011
Clay Pell
Officer in Coast Guard, Candidate for Governor
Tweets: 62
Followers: 1,457
First Tweet: Excited to celebrate @FLOTUS birthday @WhiteHouse w @MichelleWKwan tonight. - January 18, 2014
Angel Taveras
Mayor of Providence, Candidate for Governor
Tweets: 2,938
Followers: 8,635
First Tweet: Mayor-Elect Taveras selects Yahaira Placencia, Mark Ryan and Myrth York to lead transition. http://transitionprovidence.org/co-chairs/ - November 4, 2010
Pauly D
DJ and star of The Jersey Shore, born in Providence
Tweets: 16.6 K
Followers: 4.38 M
First Tweet: gettin ready for NYC tmr....hit me up if your in the city http://bit.ly/6vnkP0 - December 6, 2009
Billy Gilman
Country Music Artist, born in Westerly
Tweets: 8,940
Followers: 22.4 K
First Tweet: figuring out twitter and watching golf..yeaaa - November 10, 2009
Meredith Vieira
Vieira, a journalist and television personality, was born in Providence
Tweets: 306
Followers: 82.1 K
First Tweet: now that I'm tweeting...that twit, Lauer, can't be far behind! - March 8, 2011
Claudia Jordan
Model on Deal or No Deal and appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice, born in Providence
Tweets: 79.4 K
Followers: 90.8 K
First Tweet: "debating if i want to go out to Hyde and see the same folks I always see, or stay in and watch another movie...damn I need a boyfriend! Lol" - March 14, 2009
