Rizzo the Rat Says Skip New Year’s Resolutions and Embrace “Rizzolutions” Instead

The Muppets are kicking off the New Year with a message only they could deliver — and it comes courtesy of Rizzo the Rat.

In a newly shared video on The Muppets official Instagram account, the wisecracking rodent urges fans to skip traditional New Year’s resolutions altogether in favor of what he dubs “Rizzolutions” — essentially, committing to doing the opposite of self-improvement.

What’s Happening

• Rizzo the Rat appears in a new Instagram video encouraging “Rizzolutions”
  The joke flips New Year’s resolutions on their head, leaning into indulgence over restraint
• Rizzo specifically champions pizza — a nod to his fan-favorite Disney Parks connection, PizzeRizzo.
• The post arrives as Disney continues to spotlight classic Muppet characters across platforms leading up to the new Muppet Show special.

A Very On-Brand Message from a Very On-Brand Rat

For longtime Muppet fans, Rizzo’s anti-resolution stance feels perfectly in character. Equal parts hustler, comedian, and oddly sincere friend, Rizzo has always embodied a scrappy, streetwise charm — the kind of character who would absolutely tell you to eat the pizza instead of hitting the gym.

That pizza push isn’t random, either. In 2016, Disney opened PizzeRizzo at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a Rizzo-themed quick-service restaurant located next to Muppet*Vision 3D. The location cemented Rizzo as one of the rare Muppets with a permanent physical footprint inside a Disney park.

Who Is Rizzo the Rat?

Rizzo the Rat is one of the most prominent rat characters in The Muppet Show and subsequent Muppet projects. Known for his sarcastic humor and Jersey attitude (as he proudly declares in The Muppet Christmas Carol, “I’m from Joisey!”), Rizzo balances scheming tendencies with a surprisingly sensitive side.

The character was created by Steve Whitmire, who developed Rizzo after becoming fascinated with rat puppets originally built by Don Sahlin for The Muppet Musicians of Bremen. Whitmire designed costumes for the character, and an early Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter joked that Rizzo’s greatest ambition was to “wear a different costume every time he appears in a shot.”

Rizzo’s name was suggested by Frank Oz, inspired by Ratso Rizzo, the character portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy.

From Background Rat to Breakout Star

Rizzo first appeared in episode 418 of The Muppet Show, initially as part of a group of rats trailing guest star Christopher Reeve backstage. He quickly became a scene-stealing presence, mugging for the camera and reacting to nearly every line of dialogue.

His “big break” came when writer Jerry Juhl paired Rizzo with Gonzo as co-narrators of The Muppet Christmas Carol. The pairing was an instant hit and elevated Rizzo to principal-character status.

From there, Rizzo went on to star in Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets from Space, Muppets Tonight, and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz.

A Complicated Recent History

Following Steve Whitmire’s departure from The Muppets in 2016, Rizzo largely disappeared from new productions, aside from occasional silent cameos and animated appearances in Muppet Babies. His absence was even referenced directly in Muppets Most Wanted, which joked about legacy characters being sidelined.

In 2025, Rizzo finally returned to speaking form for the first time in nearly a decade, appearing alongside Miss Piggy in a Christmas Eve social media greeting. The character was performed by Bradley Freeman Jr.

A Timely Muppet Moment

Rizzo’s “Rizzolutions” video arrives as Disney ramps up Muppet visibility ahead of an upcoming Muppet Show special set to air on Disney+ and ABC, hosted by Sabrina Carpenter. While details on Rizzo’s involvement in the special haven’t been confirmed, the social media push signals continued interest in spotlighting classic Muppet characters in new ways.

It may be a small Instagram video, but Rizzo the Rat telling fans to eat more pizza instead of giving it up feels like a perfect encapsulation of what The Muppets do best: take a familiar cultural moment, flip it on its head, and deliver the punchline with heart.

If this is the year of “Rizzolutions,” Rizzo would probably tell you you’re already doing great — especially if there’s a slice in your hand.