Muppet rodent, voiced by
Steve Whitmire. First seen in
The Great Muppet Caper as one of the
bellhop rats. (
Kermit: "I could be mistaken, but the bellhops look like rats."
Rowlf: "You should see the
chambermaids!") Got a name and a pretty good role in
The Muppets Take Manhattan, and has since (especially after the deaths of
Jim Henson and
Richard Hunt) become one of the core
Muppets.
Rizzo has a distinct Brooklyn accent and is usually now considered The Great Gonzo's best friend. Rizzo is more than willing to put up with Gonzo's weird stunts in exchange for having someone with whom to share a wacky sense of humor.