Keeping calm and carrying on: NYC’s iconic Naked Cowboy ignores the coronavirus to entertain an almost empty Times Square – but does add a mask to his barely-there attire
- The Naked Cowboy disregarded social distancing rules amid the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, picking up a fan in Times Square
- The busker, aka Robert John Burck, was pictured wearing the mask while posing for a photo with a fan in his usual spot in Manhattan
- The Ohio native has been drawing in the crowds for more than two decades with his iconic outfit choice of cowboy hat, boots and tiny white briefs
- He has performed there 365 days a year for 20 years
- Times Square has become a ghost town as all bars and restaurants shut across New York state on Monday and people were told to practice social distancing
- In New York City confirmed coronavirus reached 1,339 by Wednesday
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
New York City’s iconic busker The Naked Cowboy was seen ignoring concerns over the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday to carry on entertaining an almost empty Times Square.
It was business as usual for the performer, except for him being a little less naked – having added a protective face mask to his signature barely-there attire.
The Naked Cowboy, aka Robert John Burck, was pictured wearing the mask while posing for a photo with a fan on Tuesday.
Neither Burck nor the woman – who wasn’t wearing a mask – seemed too concerned about social distancing as the half-naked performer picked her up in his arms.
New York City’s iconic busker The Naked Cowboy was seen ignoring concerns over the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, picking up a fan and posing for a photo in an almost empty Times Square
The busker, aka Robert John Burck, has added a mask to his barely-there outfit but other than that it’s business as usual
The show must go on! The Ohio native has kept performing in Times Square despite the usually bustling area falling silent this week with bars and restaurants closing and people social distancing
The Ohio native has been drawing in the crowds for more than two decades with his iconic outfit choice of cowboy hat, boots and tiny white briefs with ‘Naked cowboy’ painted on.
He started out busking in 1997 at Venice Beach, California, before moving to his regular spot in Times Square the following year.
Come rain or shine, 365 days a year, the busker braves the elements to sing and play guitar and is now one of New York’s biggest tourist attractions.
The Naked Cowboy has been drawing in the crowds for more than two decades with his iconic outfit choice of cowboy hat, boots and tiny white briefs with ‘Naked cowboy’ painted on
He plays to crowds outside Trump Tower in October: He started out busking in 1997 at Venice Beach, California, before moving to his regular spot in Times Square the following year
And he is clearly not about to let a little thing like a global pandemic stand in the way of him performing.
However, it’s unlikely he will be drawing in big crowds for some time, as New York officials rolled out new measures this week to try to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The city that never sleeps turned into a ghost town on Monday night as all cafe, bars, restaurants and movie theaters shuttered from 8pm, after officials ordered the ban in a desperate effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.
A nearly empty Times Square is pictured Tuesday: The city that never sleeps turned into a ghost town from Monday night as all cafe, bars, restaurants and movie theaters shuttered
Under New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio executive order, the normally lively bars and restaurants are now restricted to take-out and delivery only for ‘as long as necessary’ along with casinos, gyms and movie theaters.
The usually bustling Times Square has been almost deserted of tourists and residents as establishments shut up shop for the foreseeable future and people were told to practice social distancing.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo insisted Wednesday that the city will not go into total lockdown, but introduced a new order that employers keep 50 per cent of their workers at home.
He also announced that a hospital ship, The Comfort, will be sent to New York City to help the cope with the rising number of cases.
As of Wednesday morning, 2,382 people had tested positive in New York State, up more than 800 since Tuesday.
In New York City cases went up from 814 on Tuesday to 1,339 people testing positive by Wednesday.