Naked Cowboy suing Naked Cowgirl

NEW YORK, June 22 (UPI) -- The Naked Cowboy, a fixture of New York's Times Square, is suing a "Naked Cowgirl" he claims is ripping off his street musician act.

Robert Burck, 39, who performs in only a cowboy hat, boots and briefs, is suing fellow Times Square performer Sandy Kane, who calls herself "The Naked Cowgirl," seeking as much as $150,000, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

"Your use of Naked Cowgirl is essentially identical to the Naked Cowboy and is clearly in violation (of the Naked Cowboy trademark)," Burke wrote in a cease-and-desist letter to Kane.

Burke said Kane balked at his offer of a franchise agreement, which would require her to pay $5,000 a year or $500 a month to copycat his act.

"If she's going to sell stuff and make money off of it, then, yeah, she's going to have to pay," Burke told the post.

However, Kane, who performs in a stars-and-stripes hat with a matching bikini, said she doesn't believe she should have to pay Burke at all.

"You know how much money I make?" she said. "Two dollars a picture. I'm not selling any products."