I'm the Naked Cowboy. Here's the routine that lets me make a living singing in my underwear every day in Times Square.
Robert John Burck II, known as the 'Naked Cowboy,' shares his disciplined daily routine and business strategies for performing in Times Square. He explains how he leverages his persona, merchandise, and digital platforms to earn a significant annual income.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of unconventional street performance and modern personal branding as a viable economic model.
Robert John Burck II, as the Naked Cowboy, performing in Times Square. Nicole Raucheisen Robert John Burck II, the Naked Cowboy, earns $150k yearly performing in Times Square. Burck uses Cameo and merchandise sales to boost his income beyond tips in Times Square. Burck's disciplined lifestyle and business expenses support his Naked Cowboy alter ego. This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation for our video series The Pay Check with Robert John Burck II, also known as the Naked Cowboy, a Times Square street performer. It has been edited for length and clarity. I'm Robert John Burck II. I exist to get my alter ego, the Naked Cowboy, to Times Square . I make roughly $150,000 a year, on average, singing and playing my guitar for tourists and locals in New York City .
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