The Naked Rudeboy

The Naked Cowboy is a well-known, long standing character in the pantheon of costumed street performers of Times Square in New York City. Created and played by Robert Burck, his act consists of playing guitar and singing--mostly goofy songs of his own penning--on the street dressed in his signature white cowboy hat, white cowboy boots, and white (cowboy) briefs. It is believed that he has been doing the Naked Cowboy routine since 1998, and after thousands--perhaps tens-of-thousands--of photo-ops with enchanted tourists and natives alike, having your picture taken with the Naked Cowboy is one of those uniquely and quintessentially New York Things.

I have been a fan of the Naked Cowboy since learning of his existence. He stands out from every other Times Square character in that his is a unique and original image and character, built from scratch (not derived or appropriated wholesale from mainstream commercial entertainment.) And he is in effect a champion of the fool persistent in his folly, become wise. A template, if you will, for alighting upon a simple, slightly perverse idea and sticking to it, until it becomes famous.

I thought it only fitting that I assume a character in kind for the obligatory photo with the Naked Cowboy. As a fan, at the time, of Ska, the Naked Rudeboy was dreamt up, as a tribute to the Naked Cowboy. ("Rudeboy" is a slang term for male afficionado of Ska.)