Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting with the Naked Cowboy, whose real name is Robert John Burck. I really didn't know what to expect, but I have to say, I was completely taken back with how passionate and motivated he is about what he does. After speaking with him, I was so inspired to chase after my dreams. Enjoy!
So where are you from?
I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio.
And how did you end up in New York?
Well I was in Cincinnati, again I was born and raised in Cincinatti, and at some point I read Tony Robbins book, Of Unlimited Power. Tony Robbins is a motivational speaker. But everything out of the guy’s mouth… he’s very motivational. After reading him, he basically, you know, as far as getting what you want in life, you need to know what you want. You write it out, you focus on it. So for 15 years of reading him, and this is a document I read everyday (Sidenote: He pulls out a huge stack of paper that is written all over and highlighted) on either a stair climber, an elliptical or a running machine, so I’m constantly reading this dialogue.
So he motivated you?
Yeah, I basically wrote out these goals. He basically says you can have anything you want in your life, you just gotta know what you want. It all started with goal setting, and this is the same document I've literately been reading for about 16 years. When, just like everybody else in the world, I’m not motivated, don’t feel like doing it, don’t give a shit, I just listen to him... And my life is literately mirroring all these things I've read and studied all my life. Goal is to be the most famous man on the face of the earth, the richest, most successful, most profitable, most affluent...
So why the naked cowboy? What made you want to do this specifically?
Well in 1998 I was in Venice Beach,California. I was shooting for Playgirl magazine. Another thing about Tony, he says you have to not only know what you want, but once you know what you want, find people who HAVE what you want. So who has limousines taking them back and forth, Learjets, all the money in the world? Endorsements? Money? Who has that? Movie stars, kings, presidents, you name it. So I went into political science in school, I went into pre-med (thought I’d be a doctor or lawyer). Ended up with a political science degree.
From where?
University of Cincinnati Then I went for my masters degree in business administration. That was a 2 year program, I did one year of it, straight As, but at that point I decided I was already going back and forth from California LA, everywhere I could possibly go to following modeling leads, things like that. I tried to be an actor and a country singer.
In 1998, I was shooting for
Playgirl magazine. So I was shooting with a gay photographer who was going to be shooting me nude. I went down to Venice beach on my off time, cause I was trying to be a country singer too, and just started singing. Had an old acoustic that my mother always had the house. So I went down the beach, and I had on jeans, a vest, and a flannel shirt on. I played all day with my guitar and was ignored the entire day. One kid threw 2 cents at me, and a little old lady put a dollar in my hat. So I didn't make any money.
And the photographer that was shooting me for the nude magazine said, "Why don’t you play in your underwear? Do something different." I was like, "That’s fucking great!"
I went back in my underwear, which is what Tony Robbins would call, “marshalling your resources”.
Wasn't a great singer, didn't have the best body, wasn't a good dancer, all these things. But combining it, just going in my underwear, everybody took pictures all day. And a news crew happened to be just walking down the boardwalk, they filmed me, I was on the news. I got an interview with the LA Times.
Did you ever imagine you would get so much attention from all this?
Yea, absolutely. Was determined from day one because he (Tony Robbins) told me that I could be, to have everything that I want in my life. And I have it, and it keeps growing every single day. Got a new guitar endorsement, we got liquor endorsements, Naked Cowboy oysters, Naked Cowgirl oysters... I mean everything is just growing astronomically. And I expect to be living in a penthouse in NYC.
So you obviously enjoy the spotlight that’s on you.
I enjoy it, but it’s necessary for people to see me because what I am epitomizes what anyone can do. And it liberates and frees all people to be just like me. And that’s what everybody wants; they want to walk this earth as a king or a queen. And we all have that. It's our vanity that rules us, and that’s a good thing.
Why no boxers?
Well when the guy told me to get in my underwear, I had the same underwear my mother bought me when I was 12 yrs old. And it wasn't a conscious decision to wear boxers or briefs, but I think it works too because people have a taboo of being locked, stuck outside in their underwear, so to speak. And it kind of plays into that kind of common phobia that people have being stuck outside in their underwear.
Do you ever get cold?
I get cold all winter long, but I deal with it. Everyday you end up feeling like a failure no matter how many times you get out there cause you have to work so hard to do it.
How do you feel about impostors?
We have no impostors, we got 4 cowboys and 4 cowgirls.
Oh, so they’re all under the franchise?
Yup, they are all licensed and franchised.
So where do you want to go from here, where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Again, penthouse in NYC, my own helipad, my own helicopter that flies me over to my home in Weehawken, NJ and a plethora of castles all over the world, because just again, the more success, the more famous or richer I am, and I want to be the richest man on the face of the earth, most inspiring, most sexiest motherfucker on the face of the earth, and I can go all day long with this. Because the greater the success, the more validation you get from everyone else, and that forces them to look and look at what I’m doing and how I've been doing it. And they recognize they control their own destinies, if they take the time. I’m 100%, I’m focused.
What is the one thing that you have learned, that you take away from all this?
To me its always about getting greater and greater faith that everything is gonna work out. Staying in the right frame of mind, stay focused. And even when you don’t succeed on a daily basis, you don’t do everything you can, keep your spirit up, cause the next day is coming. Cause, ultimately, I got over it. Keeping your mentality up, which takes 24 hours a day. And you’ll eventually, I believe, have it on a level where just nothing can bring you down... you’re like a Buddha. You're just happy.
Do you just stay in New York, or do you travel?
Yeah, I mean I don’t take any days off. To me, the Naked Cowboy is no longer what I do, it’s who I am. Anything other than singing and playing guitar as the Naked Cowboy is pointless.
Wow! What a nice, sweet, and intelligent guy. He talked a mile a minute, (my head was spinning) and was so energetic, but is also so determined and driven. The Naked Cowboy has a truly inspiring story, and he's just getting started. I believe he will go far!
As I was walking trying to walk around all the tourists, I was stopped suddently by a man. Usually, I ignore most people who try to sell me something or want money. But this guy had six, yes SIX, rats on his shoulders! Three on each side! Obviously, my first reaction was "EWWWW WTF!" I freaked out and I tried to run away from him, but this guy thougth it was funny and followed me! Other people were screaming and running away as well. I was NOT happy! All I can say was that it definitly woke me up in the morning! 
