A true winter storm hit New York: the streets became nearly impassable, buried in snowdrifts; side streets turned into snowy fields; only essential city services continued operating, while most other businesses stayed home.
But one hero never gives up…
Anyone who has been to New York at least once surely knows this guy — wearing nothing but boots, briefs, and a hat. And a guitar, of course. In terms of popularity and recognizability, he definitely ranks in the city’s TOP 10 attractions, alongside the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building (at least according to my mom).
Naked Cowboy, whose real name is Robert Burck, has been performing in Times Square since 1998 — in rain, snow, when it’s hot or freezing. And his story is far more interesting than it seems at first glance.
It all began not in New York but at Venice Beach in California. Robert arrived for a photoshoot for Playgirl wearing jeans and a cowboy shirt, went out to play guitar on the boardwalk — and was completely ignored. The photographer suggested he come back the next day wearing only briefs.
Robert tried it — and made $100 in a single day. The photographer called him “my little naked cowboy,” and from that moment, everything took off.
In New York, money didn’t come easily at first either — for three years he performed entirely for free, until a passerby suggested writing the word “tips” on the soles of his boots. After that, his daily income grew from $40 to nearly $600.
Today, it’s a full-fledged business with annual revenue close to $1 million (some cite figures up to $4 million, but that sounds doubtful, so I divided it by four). From street performances alone, Burck earns around $150,000 per year — not counting corporate gigs, sponsors, private appearances, and album sales.
For example, American clothing brand Fruit of the Loom officially sponsors his briefs. Robert has also released two music albums, appeared in music videos (for example, with Nickelback), and has a wax figure at Madame Tussauds. You can even order a birthday greeting from him on Cameo for $50 (or $700 for business use).
Burck holds a degree in political science, and it came in handy: in 2009 he announced plans to run for Mayor of New York against Michael Bloomberg, and in 2012 he declared he would run for President of the United States as part of the Tea Party movement — though neither campaign advanced beyond the registration stage.
There’s also a separate legal chapter. In 2008, Burck sued Mars over an advertisement for the M&M’s World store in Times Square, where a blue M&M wearing a cowboy hat, boots, and underwear played guitar — a bit too similar to his image. The case was settled out of court under undisclosed terms. He filed a similar lawsuit against CBS over a promo featuring a similar character — that, too, ended in a settlement.
His father, a devoted churchgoer, was initially embarrassed by his son but now fully supports him: “When he was little, he said he’d become rich and famous — and he did.”
By the way, Burck has a tattoo of Jesus Christ on his left bicep and a devil on his right. Every morning, he records a “plan of action for the day” into a voice recorder and listens to it on his way to Times Square.
Times Square is a place where everything feels a little unreal — but if you find yourself there and see a man in briefs with a guitar, know this: he’s probably wealthier than most of the people in suits around him.
📍 Times Square / Manhattan, NY 10036
