Judge Judy, Bob Seger, Newt Gingrich: Celebrities who call Naples, Marco Island home

With Judge Judy in the news recently for filing a lawsuit in Collier County, it's a good time to revisit famous people who call Southwest Florida home.

Judith Sheindlin ― a part-time Neapolitan ― made headlines this week when she sued Georgia-based media companies for publishing an article headlined "Inside Judge Judy’s Quest to Save the Menendez Brothers Nearly 35 Years After Their Parents’ Murder."

She's lived, with her husband, for years in Southwest Florida. Here's other famous people from TV to music to politics who live here at least for a few months out of the year.

Detroit rocker Bob Seger has lived in Naples for years

The Michigan rocker has called Naples home for more than a quarter century, living part-time in a Gulf-side condo.

And during his 2015 show at Germain (now Hertz) Arena in Estero, Seger told the sold-out crowd: “I get to play one of my hometowns. We feel right at home here.”

Seger has penned and recorded numerous songs, and they include "Against The Wind," "Hollywood Nights," "Old Time Rock & Roll" and "Still the Same." Seger, who turned 79 earlier in May, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Tucker Carlson moved to Boca Grande in 2022

Fox News in April 2022 booted popular TV personality Tucker Carlson.

A few months later, Carlson moved on ― and into a 2,812-square-foot home on 18th Street West on Boca Grande that was built in 1969. It has three bedrooms and 3½ baths, Lee County property records show.

The home was purchased for $5.5 million on Aug. 3, 2022, zillow.com said.

Judge Judy is longtime Naples seasonal resident

Sheindlin, 81, whose syndicated television show "Judge Judy" ran for 25 years, has part-time in Naples for decades.

And in 2023, she was No. 56 on the Forbes magazine list of America's Richest Self-Made Women with a wealth of $480 million.

Sheindlin, who owns homes in various states, is occasionally seen at the annual Naples Winter Wine Festival.

Newt Gingrich, ex-House Speaker, has home in Naples

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, in 2021 purchased a $3 million house in the Quail West Golf & Country Club development in North Naples, Collier County public records said.

Gingrich, who was House Speaker when he gained prominence from 1995 to 1999, was Republican congressman from north of Atlanta for 20 years. After his life in public service, he's become an author and often appears on conservative networks to discuss politics.

Ted Nugent, wife Shemaine own North Naples penthouse

The Motor City Madman and his wife, Shemaine, own a Gulf-side penthouse condo in North Naples.

Ted Nugent has received national attention in recent years for his political commentary but he was mainly known as a musician for decades before that. His hits have included "Cat Scratch Fever," "Free‑for‑All," "Wango Tango" and "Stranglehold."

In a 2017 Naples Daily News article, Nugent mentioned one of his favorite restaurants, along U.S. 41 near downtown Naples. 

"Grouper & Chips — I could come down just to eat Grouper & Chips!" he said. "The food is wonderful; the people are wonderful. I’ve always loved Florida. I’ve been playing in Florida, I’ve been rocking and rolling and hunting in Florida since 1967.”

Son of Ohio, ex-House Speaker John Boehner enjoys Marco life

U.S. House Speaker from 2011 to 2015, Boehner has lived in a $2 million, 2,100-square-foot Marco condo with his wife, Deborah, for more than a decade, records show.

Boehner, born in Reading, Ohio, in 1949, was a congressman from 1991 to 2015 and served parts of southwestern Ohio that included rural and suburban areas near Dayton and Cincinnati.

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Best-selling author Janet Evanovich calls Naples home year-round

The New Jersey native is known for her novels in the Stephanie Plum series, with her 31st installment ― "Now or Never" ― to publish in November.

Janet Evanovich in those books writes about a fictional bounty hunter, which touches on her real-life waitressing job while attending college.

Evanovich and her husband moved to Naples more than 20 years ago after visiting the Gulf Coast town following a bail bonds conference in Sarasota. 

“We decided that we wanted a house in Florida," Evanovich told the Daily News in a 2018 story. 

Evanovich has more than 200 million books in print worldwide.

“When we came to Naples, it was like, 'This is it, this is where we belong,' " she told the Daily News.

Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman, wife own Marco Island home

In 2023, Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman and his wife, Francie, moved to Marco Island.

Chapman becane famous as a television star, securing a large and loyal fanbase with his various shows over the years, chronicling the life of a bounty hunter and his family in their everyday lives.

In an interview with the News-Press in 2023, Fancie said since moving to Marco Island, the pair have been heavily involved in community, especially for various churches throughout Naples. She gushed about how much the community has welcomed them and embraced them.

"The people are just wonderful here and we're starting to build community and get plugged in … everybody has just been so incredible. It has amazed and floored me how embracive people are over what we're doing," Chapman said.

Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram and Threads @lacrossewriter and on X (formerly Twitter) @NDN_dosborn.