What is the Naked Cowboy's Net Worth?
The Naked Cowboy is an American street performer who has a net worth of $4 million. His real name is Robert John Burck, and he is best known for his street performances in New York City's Times Square. He is famous for performing in only cowboy boots, a hat, and white briefs. He then plays a guitar that is strategically placed in front of him to suggest that he is, in fact, nude. Aside from his street performances, Burck has found success as an actor, singer, songwriter, and adult performer. He also ventured into politics on more than one occasion – running for positions like the President of the United States and the Mayor of New York City.
Early Years
Robert John Burck was born on December 23rd, 1970, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended secondary school in Ohio before obtaining a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Science, graduating in 1995.
Career
The Naked Cowboy first began busking in 1997, and initially, he performed on Venice Beach, California. After experiencing success in California, he decided to relocate to New York City, finding success in Times Square. He began to make much more money after writing "tips" on his boots. As the years went by, Burck began to become a global phenomenon, even booking performances in places like Ireland.
Outside of his busking career, Burck has appeared fully nude in "Playgirl" magazine and in homosexual pornographic films. He also announced that he was running for Mayor of New York City in 2009 but subsequently pulled out of the race. In 2010, he announced that he was running for President of the United States under the Tea Party movement. In 2020, it was reported that the Naked Cowboy was a Trump supporter.
How Much Does the Naked Cowboy Make Per Day? Per Year?
The Naked Cowboy earns his income through paid street performances. Like many street performers, he does not explicitly demand payment. Instead, he operates under the assumption that people will offer tips. After some initial struggles when he moved to New York, The Naked Cowboy eventually started earning more than $600 per day. Along with voluntary tips, he often asks for payment of about $1 for photographs taken with him. When you add licensing fees and endorsements, the Naked Cowboy makes between $150 and $200,000 per year.
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Brand Endorsements
In 2014, Burck was sponsored by Fruit of the Loom. This led him to switch his white briefs to boxer briefs as part of his contractual obligation to promote the brand.
Lawsuits and Legal Issues
In 2008, Burck sued M&M's for a trademark infringement. The candy company had created a short animation depicting one of the anthropomorphic M&M's playing a guitar while wearing a white cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and underpants on the electronic animation display outside the company's store in Times Square. This is close to where the Naked Cowboy Performs, so he obviously noticed it. Burck owns registered trademarks to the Naked Cowboy name and likeness.
He sued for up to $100 million in punitive damages, claiming that the candy company used his likeness, persona, and image for commercial purposes without his permission. He also stated that the candy company seems to have implied that he endorsed their product, which he did not. Later in 2008, part of the suit was dismissed, but the trademark claims remained. At the end of the year, Naked Cowboy and Mars Incorporated settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum of money.
In 2021, it was reported that the Naked Cowboy had been arrested in Daytona Beach for panhandling. Robert, who was 50 at the time, was attending the Bike Week festival. Police found him taking photographs with bystanders as they put money in his guitar. Unfortunately, this constituted a violation of the city ordinance, and he was arrested. He was eventually released. Burck also sued CBS for copyright infringement in 2011.
