New York City has more than a couple of eccentrics, but the so-called “Naked Cowboy” has to be one of the more iconic. If you’ve ever been to Times Square, you’ve doubtless see him there, busking in his underwear.

It really didn’t come as too much of a surprise when I saw that this guy was running for mayor against incumbent Michael Bloomberg. It’s a nice publicity stunt, and that’s what these street performers live for.

But what shocked me was the casual mention in the article that Robert Burck pulls in $1000/day romping about Times Square in his BVDs and boots. Assuming a typical number of days off, that means he still pulls down in excess of a quarter million dollars a year in tips. Let that sink in for a moment.

I have a guitar. I have a hat. I have a pair of boots. I could swing by the Wal-Mart later and pick up a fresh 3-pack of tighty-whities. Now all I need are people willing to pay me to frolic about that way. Although I somehow think I’d make more money if I focused on people paying me not to. So I guess I should keep my day-job for now.