Does Whitby have Naked ambition?

Byline: Mike Olley

WHILST on "vacation" in New York the other day, I stumbled across Susannah Constantine (from Trinny and Susannah fame) filming in Times Square.

For a fashion guru she looked far from glamorous with a bulging belly and clear visible panty line in a tight off-white little dress, all competing against a gloomy long face.

It must be such hard work being dragged across the globe, getting paid good currency for advice on how to dress well, whilst in need of fashion advice yourself!

Yet I soon picked up my star-struck eyes when I spotted a Naked Cowboy a few yards away entertaining the crowds with his guitar.

Who was this strange man? I was soon to find out as a young enthusiastic lad thrust a petition sheet under my nose and asked for my signature to nominate him as a candidate for office of the Mayor of New York. I replied: "But I am a UK national; can I nominate?" Enthusiasm unhindered, the youth clearly didn't have a clue over the raising of this technical legal point so we agreed "what the hell?" and I signed.

It turns out this Naked Cowboy is none other than 38-year-old Robert Burck, a Country and Western singer. Robert (as he doesn't like to be known) spends most of his days in Times Square posing for photos with tourists, campaigning to be Mayor of New York.

Clad only in cowboy hat, boots, white underpants and a guitar to cover his modesty, he certainly causes a stir. Whilst I would at this point protest my strong heterosexuality, he does have one hell of an Adonis body. All round, he cuts a very jolly and fun figure.

Indeed, as I stepped off in Dublin airport from my Aer Lingus connecting flight back to Birmingham I was amazed and cheered to see the Naked Cowboy himself plastered all around the arrivals gate in life-sized pictures. His fame is spreading fast and wild.

Back in England former call centre worker Stuart Drummond, aka H'Angus the Monkey, was a few months ago re-elected for the third time as Mayor of Hartlepool. He was re-elected despite breaking his original election manifesto pledge of free bananas for all kids and his election agent going on holiday for three weeks just before the election.

Clint Eastwood, as Mayor of Carmel from 1986-88, reportedly did a good job despite receiving a salary of only $200 a month and squeezing in only two major motion pictures whilst in office. All this raises the question of whether fame or gimmick could be a strong enough platform to achieve or build major office in the UK. The Tories nationally are talking up compulsory elected mayors in major cities and they do appear to have a notional level of popular support where they currently exist.

This week I have a personally signed poster of the Naked Cowboy (slightly transit damaged) along with one of his campaign T-shirts specially imported from the USA for the most worthy response to this question: "By dropping their suit, collar and ties, would a Naked Mike Whitby, Naked Sir Albert Bore - or even a Naked Carl Chinn - raise or enhance their political profile?"

Your opinion Write: Your Say, Birmingham Mail, Floor 6, Fort Dunlop, Fort Parkway, Birmingham B24 9FF Call: 0800 138 2555 between 8am and 5.30pm. Email: [e-mail] Visit: www.birminghammail.net and click 'Forums'.

CAPTION(S):

Bare-faced cheek: How Mike Whitby, left, and Carl Chinn would look at the Naked Cowboy.