Happy Hour With The Naked Cowboy

Summary

Kennedy Saves the World
Episode: Happy Hour With The Naked Cowboy
FOX News Podcasts | October 3, 2025
Host: Kennedy | Guest: Robert Burke ("The Naked Cowboy")

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Overview

This episode is a high-spirited, candid conversation between Kennedy and New York City icon Robert Burke, better known as the Naked Cowboy. The interview dives into his origin story, the daily grind (and chill), philosophy on life and masculinity, brushes with fame and misfortune, plus the joys and sacrifices required to create your own legend. Kennedy’s fierce wit and enthusiasm find their match in the unstoppable optimism and showman’s soul of her guest.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Naked Cowboy Origin Story

• Roots and the Calling
  • Robert came to NYC from Cincinnati, Ohio, nearly 28 years ago to pursue fame, guided by what he describes as a calling from God to become “the Naked Cowboy.”
  • Inspired by self-help guru Tony Robbins, he initially chased fame in L.A.—appearing on Jerry Springer twice and posing nude for Playgirl.
  • The infamous “underwear busking” persona was born in Venice Beach. Further public stunts (with arrests) propelled him through Nashville, Atlanta, Florida, and all the way to Times Square, sometimes calling the police and news on himself to draw attention.
  • "I was called by God to be the Naked Cowboy... to dominate the commercial landscape of the world." —Robert, [01:30]

Making It in Times Square & Beyond

• Global Celebrity & Hustle
  • Robert boasts appearances worldwide—Japan, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Australia—spreading his “ambassador cowboy” brand.
  • He’s made cameo videos a major revenue stream, earning around $100,000 a year, thanks to his ability to improvise and personalize songs on demand.
  • "I put myself on the hour mode all day long, 11 to 5.… I got thousands of songs I play all day long." —Robert, [03:45-04:05] • He’s appeared in movies (notably Sharknado 2, Meet Dave) and is a SAG member.

Music, Politics, & Personal Anthems

• Signature Songs & Civic Involvement
  • Robert sings throughout the podcast—including a satirical campaign jingle promoting Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor.
  • On political satire:
  “Curtis stands with law enforcement. He’ll be tough on crime. Madame supports no cash bail. Sides with criminals all the time.” —Robert, [04:32-04:42] • He jokes about his niche in movies: “You can tell I'm a leading actor because you only see me from the back.” —Robert, [05:46]

Daily Grit, Physical & Mental Challenge

• Braving New York’s Elements
  • The Naked Cowboy claims to have worked every single day—sleet or shine—for 26 years, almost 27.
  • Winter performance: He endures hypothermia symptoms “four times a day” and manages about 25 minutes per outdoor stint in 20-degree weather.
  • "I'm not getting older, as anyone can see.… I just get better every day." —Robert, [12:36]

• Routine & Physical Discipline
  • His day is rigidly scheduled: early morning reading (Tony Robbins, Jordan Peterson), gym, busking from 11 to 5.
  • He estimates 65,000 steps a day—not including a five-mile morning run and gym work.
  • “Every single day at 5 to 7, I’m reading. 7 to 9, I’m at the gym. ... I make 18 trips from 42 to 47, nice and slow, all day long, pulling them in.” —Robert, [14:39]

Philosophy & Life Lessons

• Hero’s Journey & Masculinity
  • Inspired by Jordan Peterson, he frames his life as enacting the Western hero’s journey—leaving the known, facing the unknown, integrating chaos and order.
  • “If you really want to live and feel the way I feel, you gotta whip out your balls of steel.” —Robert, [09:15] • On masculinity and modernity, Robert rails against the decline of “heroic” virtues.

• Coping With Adversity
  • Perseveres through injuries, illness, and even COVID, rarely missing a day at work.
  • “I had skin cancer. Cut out. They cut it out in the morning. I had a band aid on it. I went to work.” —Robert, [13:34] • “I'm not worried about anything. The worse the situation around me, the more heroic I come across.” —Robert, [15:32]

Personal Life & Family

• Marriage & Partnership
  • Married to the “Naked Cowgirl,” a professional belly dancer and influencer, for 14 years.
  • “I told her I’d never marry anybody... and we got married like two months later.” —Robert, [11:21] • She now performs alongside him and manages her own influencer brand.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Getting Started:
  "The photographer said, why don't you play in your underwear? … Made the news. Guitar case full of money." —Robert, [02:09-02:16]
• On Adversity:
  "I got arrested like 15 times. … Those little local pieces would go national." —Robert, [02:28]
• On Masculinity:
  “Your metaphorical balls need to show themselves to the world.” —Kennedy, [09:36]
• On Daily Practice:
  “I know, it’s unbelievable. … That doesn’t include running five miles in the morning and going to the gym three days away.” —Robert, [15:03-15:09]
• On Fame and Longevity:
  “Everything costs so much. … when you're 90 years old … are you gonna be out there gumming the hits for the folks in Times Square?” —Kennedy, [12:27-12:32] “I'm not getting older, as anyone can see. I just get better every day." —Robert, [12:36]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:55 — Robert recounts his move to NYC and beginnings as the Naked Cowboy
• 02:09 — Transition from country persona to underwear busking and media exploitation
• 03:03 — Nationwide and international rise to fame; cameos and brand ambassadorship
• 04:06 — Demonstrates spontaneous songwriting skills and Cameo work
• 05:41 — Discusses film appearances and SAG membership
• 06:15 — Absurdities and hazards: fans ripping his briefs, assaults, “wedgies"
• 07:07 — Surviving NYC winters: “I haven't missed a day.”
• 08:00 — Daily routine, influence of Tony Robbins and Jordan Peterson
• 09:51 — The “balls of steel” metaphor and lessons from Jordan Peterson (masculinity)
• 11:11 — Personal life: marriage to the Naked Cowgirl
• 12:27 — Reflections on aging and a 50-year plan for busking
• 13:34 — Never missing a day: working through illness and injury
• 14:19 — Anxiety, routines, and finding order amidst chaos
• 15:32 — Unshakeable confidence: “Not worried about anything”
• 15:46 — Busking income—does winter bring more money?
• 16:11 — Shout-out to his father, Kenny Burke
• 16:42 — Improvised song for Kennedy and Fox News Podcasts

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Tone & Style

The episode is a humorous, warm, and occasionally irreverent ride—Kennedy’s quick wit and playful banter match Robert’s earnest, freewheeling showman persona. The conversation ranges from gritty street wisdom to raucous spontaneity, always with an underpinning of self-improvement philosophy and unapologetic self-confidence.

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For Listeners New to The Show

This episode delivers the ultimate “personal journey through the prism of freedom,” as promised: from underwear stunts and viral fame to cult New York status, the Naked Cowboy’s world is equal parts absurd, authentic, and inspiring. Listeners will come away entertained, maybe a little bewildered, and with a new appreciation for the art of showing up—rain, sleet, snow, or viral video.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Hello, and welcome to this episode of Kennedy Saves the World. If you have been to New York City, you've seen a few things. The Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and the Naked Cowboy. Who is here with me?

[A]

Well, I'm the Naked Cowboy. Keeping it real for you on the Naked Combo. You gotta do what you gotta do.

[B]

Gotta do.

[A]

I'll keep it brief.

[B]

I, I. Well, clearly, since you're wearing them. Robert Burke, Naked Cowboy. Welcome to Kennedy Saves the World. Thank you and cheers to you with Coke Zero.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

No liquor. When did you.

[A]

I don't want to get crazy.

[B]

No, you don't. Not. Not today. Satan, when did you start busking?

[A]

I got to Times Square 27 years, 11 months, 14 days ago. Wow.

[B]

From where?

[A]

From Cincinnati, Ohio. Ohio. You're the heart of it all. UC alumni.

[B]

Oh, really?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Political science degree. Bachelor's degree.

[B]

That's a great school. UCLA played Cincinnati.

[A]

No, uc.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

University of Cincinnati.

[B]

No, I know, but UCLA played Cincinnati for their football home opener, like, three years in a row. Yeah, it was really weird, but great school. Cincinnati is a wonderful town. Why did you leave?

[A]

I'm the Naked Cowboy. I was called by God to be the Naked cowboy.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

To dominate the commercial landscape of the world.

[B]

So it's one thing to busk. It's one thing to play guitar and sing. It's another thing to be practically naked. Did you look in the mirror one day and go, thank you, God. I have to show the world this.

[A]

I was a big Tony Robbins guy around 1998. I was shooting for Playgirl magazine in Venice beach. At that point. I was trying to be a country singer, an actor, a movie star, model, all this kind of anything to get famous kind of thing. I'd already been on the Jerry Springer show twice.

[B]

Nude shoot.

[A]

Yes, I was shooting nude. And then when I went to the boardwalk to do my country Persona, you know, I had my jeans. Everything was ignored. That was day one. Okay? The photographer said, why don't you play in your underwear? Do something different. I mean, I'm always do. I was doing nude stuff all over the place. So I played my underwear, made the news. Guitar case full of money. Went back to Cincinnati, my hometown. Went to Fountain Square. Got arrested when I did it there, but made the news. Went on a morning show. I already have my Tony Robbins stuff. Most celebrated entertainer of all time. Bridges, most famous man in the world. That kind of stuff. Packed my car with underwear, went down to Nashville, sang on the street. I used that same component everywhere. So I went to Nashville, sang Played called the news and the police on myself. They both showed up. I got on the news. Then I went to Atlanta. I went to Florida. I went all the way to Key West, Florida and all the way to California. Did that whole entire trip. I got arrested like 15 times. I got Inside Edition, hard Copy. Those little local pieces would go national.

[B]

You had underwear on.

[A]

I did that for two years. And then a friend suggested, why don't you go east? You could get arrested every two hours instead of driving 12 hours city to city. So I just happened to stop in Times Square. I was on trl. Then I got on the Today show, Howard Stern, and I just. I never stop. Now it's again 26 years, 11 months, 14 days. I've been to Japan twice, Germany several times. Mexico five times, maybe eight times. Mexico, Norway, Australia. I go all over the world.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And Ambassador Cowboy. Oh, yeah. It's like the President United States. Michael Jackson coming to town. We got the number one selling oyster in the. In the world. In the country. Nicky Cowboy oysters from the Long Island Sound. The Blue Island Oyster Company.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

I do like a hundred thousand dollars a year on cameo. Just 50 bucks. I'm old. I'm entirely. I put myself on the hour mode all day long, 11 to 5.

[B]

And do you just make up new songs for everyone? Is that how you make so much on Cameo?

[A]

To the chapel and we're Happy birthday.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

I mean, I could sing any song. I got thousands of songs I play all day long.

[B]

That is unreal.

[A]

I'm working with Curtis Sliwa right now. I've been going to all of his. I'm working with the campaigns. I got the. Have you heard the Curtis Sleevel song?

[B]

No. I wear a red hat and I'm not gonna win.

[A]

No. Curtis Lee was for mayor of nyc. Madame's just a left wing lunatic like aoc.

[B]

True.

[A]

Curtis stands with law enforcement. He'll be tough on crime. Madame supports no cash bail. Sides with criminals all the time.

[B]

But there will lot of hookers if mom Donnie wins. And we will be having fun with those johns and their Grimms.

[A]

We're finally through with Adams. Another Democrat mistake. The last thing we need is a radical progressive from the Islamic State. Curtis Lewa for mayor.

[B]

He's got a lot of cats. He walks around the city smiling in his little red hat. I'm gonna keep my clothes on.

[A]

Robert. Lady in red is sitting near me. No other girl Just you and me Where I want to be.

[B]

What movies have you been in?

[A]

Oh, these are classic sharknado too.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

Whoa. That's a big one.

[B]

That's awesome.

[A]

You can tell I'm a leading actor because you only see me from the back. New York minute. Meet Dave with Eddie Murphy. I'm like, 13 movies.

[B]

That's amazing. Do you get paid for the movies?

[A]

Of course I'm in. I've been in SAG since 2000. I'm like, actually an A class. A class, or what's it called? An A. A list actor. Because of this. Of the movies that every single thing I did, I had to be categorized with because I'm my own person.

[B]

Someone ripped your briefs off in 2020.

[A]

That's horrible. It happened in that year, too.

[B]

How many times does that happen? Like, do you have, like, jujitsu moves.

[A]

To the underwear, two wedges, one rip down.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[A]

That.

[B]

Why? What is wrong with people? Are they just like, pervs? You're like, yeah, I want to see what's.

[A]

It's the same thing. If you're gonna. You know, it's always the big tough guy. You know, I got. I was in New Orleans. I'm standing on the. I've told the story 100 times. So I'm on the. You know, in the morning, just standing. Just get ready. Guy took this bar, one of those bar things, and whacked me across the. And of course, everyone says to me, well, why did you do it? It's like, well, because I didn't want to get hit twice, dummy. I mean. And he was being friendly. He was like, oh, I love what you do. Oh, no, but I had the dimples on my. Oh, you poor other dimples. No, I'm. It's not.

[B]

Okay, so what. What do you do in the winter? Because it gets really cold here, like, January, February.

[A]

There's one of the blizzards. I haven't missed a day.

[B]

No. There he is, the 26.

[A]

26 years, 11 months and 14 days is every single day.

[B]

Every day.

[A]

Unless literally.

[B]

Unless every single year be sleet, freezing rain.

[A]

I'm parking right there. I have, you know, free parking. Actually, I caught my parking. I've been there so long. Yeah. Getting out of a beautiful, nice vehicle, going right up a nice. You know, and then it's like A. In 20 degrees. You can get about. I can get about 25 minutes. Okay, so. And it's without anything. I mean, no big deal. I mean, it's at the 25th minute. That's the end.

[B]

Yeah. Okay.

[A]

I mean, but it's. You know, I mean, have you ever gotten hypothermic? I wouldn't even know what that mean. I would assume I have the, you know, the symptoms of hypothermia four times a day, every day from September to November.

[B]

Is there ever a day you wake up on a cold day and you're.

[A]

Like, I'm just like, everybody. I'm reading for like an hour, two hours, literally every single morning. Tony Robbins. I just read Beyond Order 12, Rules for Success, Maps and Meaning, and we who Wrestle with God. All four of Jordan Peterson's book. Like, this big. You have. It's like a degree over the course of maybe like the last two months, like, literally. And I'm on my second reading.

[B]

What is your big takeaway from that?

[A]

Very simple. That our lives here in the west or anywhere, Western civilization, we literally emulate the path of the hero. We go from, you know, every single day we're in a place where we understand we're in the known. We. The. The knower goes out into the unknown and collects new information, put it on our map and update ourselves, and we become the hero. You know, so commercial age, Messiah of the. That's me one. I've been doing this stuff my whole life. But with that, it's just put a whole lot, a lot more coherence with the whole mythological structure. I mean, I could explain it through, you know, everything.

[B]

Have you arrived?

[A]

I'm number one on the spot at all times, 100% focused, determined. Shoot me right dead. I'm right on my mission. Wouldn't bother me a bit.

[B]

This is where you're meant to be.

[A]

Most celebrated entertainment of all time.

[B]

Go ahead.

[A]

If you really want to live and feel the way I feel, you gotta whip out your balls of steel. I have a message. It's important. People need to hear it.

[B]

They do. You need to whip out your balls of steel.

[A]

That's a metaphor.

[B]

Your metaphorical balls need to show themselves to the world.

[A]

And that's another thing you get from Jordan Peterson, also the, you know, the decline of masculinity, toxic masculinity, and how that fits into the whole, you know, politically correct narrative and all that stuff.

[B]

Don't go anywhere more. Kennedy Saves the World right after this.

[A]

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[C]

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[A]

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[C]

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[B]

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[C]

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[A]

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[B]

Are you happy? Do you have a family?

[A]

I have. I'm married to the Nate cowgirl.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

She's Mexican descent. I met her right there, you know, at a. It was cranberry cafe at the time. Now it's cooks.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So I walked in, she said, papacito and I said, mamacita. I didn't realize what I was saying. Even though I take Spanish in college. I told her I'd never marry anybody, just like I've told every girl my entire life. No interest whatsoever. And we got married like two months later. And Palo Rancho Verdes my manager's estate, Nick Cowboy Enterprises in California. It was awesome.

[B]

Nice. And how long have you been married?

[A]

14 years coming up.

[B]

That's. Well, congratulations.

[A]

First husband, first wife.

[B]

Many more years to both of you together. That's awesome.

[A]

And she's a. She's a professional belly dancer, but she's. Then I'm doing a naked cowboy every day. She showed up. Did you know, does it too now. And she's got, you know, the whole TikTok, Facebooks, you know, naked cowgirl, same thing. She gets all her stuff for free in the mail. She's an influencer. She's. And now she's in Mexico City helping her sister get her paperwork done.

[B]

The famous you get, the less you have to pay for stuff.

[A]

Yeah, well, it doesn't matter. I mean, you know, I'm just saying it's on the way up. You know, you're always struggling. You're always, you know, it's always like a. And even when you get like, here it's. Everything costs so much. It's like, you know when you're 90.

[B]

Years old and maybe you don't have your own teeth anymore, are you gonna be out there gumming the hits for the folks in Times Square?

[A]

Well, I don't. That's not happening to me. I'm not getting older, as anyone can see. I just get better every day. And I'm not really. Nelson's 100 years old. I'm 55.

[B]

Yeah. Willie Nelson looks amazing.

[A]

I had my 25th year anniversary here in Times Square on the New York rise on that torch. They, you know, shut that down. And I had a 25 anniversary was my point.

[B]

The memory's going, but the. The vibe is still very strong.

[A]

Oh, no, no. So anyway, my point. My point is I'm only a year and a half into my second 25 year period, which is a 50 year trajectory that I wrote out years ago.

[B]

Yes. So you're gonna do this until you're at least 80.

[A]

Look, I don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring. I'm gonna do it right now on this show, and then I'm gonna walk out of here as badass as I can possibly be. Everywhere I ever go and work every single day to. How many hours a day do you intelligent. 11 to 5. Every day? Every day for 26 years.

[B]

That's awesome.

[A]

What about 11 months?

[B]

What about when you have the flu.

[A]

Or during COVID What happened? Get sick? I had skin cancer. Cut out. They cut it out in the morning. I had a band aid on it. I went to work. I had a ambulatory phlebectomy. I had like a varicose vein. They put it out. I was there with the sock on and it bled like crazy. I was pick. I went to pick somebody up and it literally. I saw red on my boot and I literally was like, surprised. Like, what's on? Somebody's bleeding. They're like, you are. Oh, no, I'm die Hard. I'm. Then I'm in my nice Lexus up there with my leg up, elevated, nursing it, putting it back together, like every single day. No matter again, I don't miss any days or anything.

[B]

All right?

[A]

I mean, you tell me what's going to happen. I'm gonna explode. Because all I can do is keep doing what I do. And I love it. I'm pumped.

[B]

That's fine.

[A]

That's what I'm saying. So I don't know what's gonna happen. What is anxiety?

[B]

The fear of the unknown.

[A]

No, it's the collapse of an organized narrative down multi dimensional pathways. When you have anxiety, you have a set plan. Something goes wrong, your. Your organized, constructed plan goes wrong and then anything could happen. So that's what anxiety is actually.

[B]

Not necessarily like you can have anxiety without any plan at all. Well, that something doesn't necessarily have to go wrong.

[A]

That's the very definition of anxiety. There's no. That would be the very definition. I mean that's chaos. We talked about chaos and order. If you have. That's why you. That's why every single day at 5 to 7, I'm reading 7 to 9, I'm at the gym. I drive through the city, go in the same garage, come out 11 to 5. I make 18 trips from 42 to 47, nice and slow, all day long, pulling them in as I. How many steps get a day? It's like 65,000.

[B]

Really?

[A]

I know, it's unbelievable.

[B]

That's wild. A good day for me is 20,000. That's a good day.

[A]

That doesn't include running five miles in the morning and going to the gym three days away. Okay, so I do, you know, I mean I'm. And that's nothing. I mean I'm just. I mean it's actually. It's the height of my potential and it's nothing. I have no choice.

[B]

So as you have been singing songs against Mamdani, and rightly so. Are you worried if he's mayor that he will come after your naked cowboyness?

[A]

I'm not worried about anything. The worse the situation around me, the more heroic I come across. That's the beauty of the freezing cold. I go out there, it's like the whole world stops at. Oh and they just can't believe that this. I'm completely destroyed.

[B]

Do you make more money in the winter?

[A]

It's about the same. It's about 70, $80 an hour no matter what time of year. Okay, but in the winter you're not getting.

[B]

More money. Yeah.

[A]

And it does seem to concentrate. It. It's like a going out of business sale. They're probably thinking how long this guy can't go on too much longer. They're. They're dying watching, you know.

[B]

Do you want to give anyone a shout out, a shout out song?

[A]

My dad, Kenny Burke, he said tell you he watches the show and he loves you.

[B]

Tell Kenny Burke thank you. My dad's name was Ken and a lot of people called him Kenny and he was from Indiana. Your next door neighbor there in Ohio.

[A]

My brother and my. A whole bunch of my family now. Is Indiana in Indiana, too?

[B]

Yeah. Smart people. A great part of the country and a wonderful conversation with you, Naked Cowboy. Thank you for everything. Continued success.

[A]

You too.

[B]

Many years with the guitar, the undie wears and the nudity.

[A]

Wait, I got your song.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Fox News podcast Kennedy saved happy hour episode five days a week or so Fox News podcast Kennedy Saves the World the happy hour episode five days a week or so.

[B]

Thank you, Naked Cowboy.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

You're a legend. This has been Kennedy saves the world five days a week or so, along with the naked Cowboy. I'm Kennedy. Listen ad free with a Fox News podcast plus subscription on Apple podcasts and Amazon Prime. Members can listen to this show ad free on the Amazon music app. Oh, go ahead and leave me a review while you're there. I'd love to hear what you have to say. You've been listening to Kennedy saves the World on the Fox News Podcast network. I'm Dana Perino. This week on Perino on Politics, I am joined by executive vice president at targeted victory, Matt Gorman.

[A]

Listen and follow [e-mail] com or wherever.

[B]

You get your favorite podcast.