Talk about a brief run. Robert Burck, a.k.a. "The Naked Cowboy," has dropped his bid for mayor only a few months after tossing his hat into the ring.
Running on the platform, "Do more with less," the shirtless, briefs-wearing muscle man offered New Yorkers good pecs, a tourist attraction and a degree in political science.
But just six weeks onto the political scene, the Naked Cowboy announced, "I'm absolutely dropping out," according to a published report.
Burck made his decision after coming face to face with the bureaucracy – conflict-of-interest laws, financial-disclosure forms, fines and threats of penalties -- that regulates state political campaigns, reports The New York Times.
Now the Naked Cowboy is back to doing what he does best – singing and strumming his guitar in Times Square, posing pants-less and proud with gawking tourists and admiring New Yorkers.
“What I want to do is stick with what I do best,” Burck said Friday. “It’s probably why I look like a naked cowboy, and Mayor Bloomberg looks like a mayor.”
Oh, snap. Is that a veiled endorsement for Bloomy, Mr. Burck?
U.S. & World
For the Naked Cowboy, the final straw came Thursday when he got a menacing letter from the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board saying he hadn't filed the required financial disclosure form, according to the Times. If Burck didn't fix the issue, he could've been charged with a misdemeanor that carried up to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine. On top of all that, he was fined $250 for necessitating the letter in the first place.
We would've dropped out, too, Naked Cowboy.
"Politics is not fun and games," Burck said. "It’s serious stuff, and my mind was a little more dreamy."
Once just another pants-less loon wandering the streets of New York City with a guitar, Burck has improbably crafted a career for himself selling underwear and all manner of memorabilia on-line while making appearances