Only in New York City - Notoriety for the Infamous

Growing up in a rural area in suburban Michigan, I always craved the culture and diversity a big city offered. So when I graduated college, I took an internship in the Big Apple hoping to start my career as a journalist. The city that never sleeps always offered adventure but I couldn't afford and didn't really desire to live there. Living across the water in Jersey City was close enough.

On the morning radio show I listen to while getting ready for work they have a topic they explore every now and then and its' very interesting. They call it, "Only in New York." They invite callers to call-in and describe the weirdest thing they saw in New York.

If you happen to be walking around the fashion district near Broadway and 29^th street you may come across a man with black oil or makeup rubbed all over his face and skin. His clothes are badly tattered and his hair is matted and usually covered with a hat. At times he is sitting quietly against the wall but sometimes he encourages conversation from the many onlookers. But that is only one of the infamous charcters that can be found in and around Manhattan. The famous "Naked Cowboy", a street performer who is mostly seen in "Times Square just outside of MTV studios has literally made a name for himself. Robert Burk, his real name, has trademarked his image and has appeared as himself on television. A recent billboard featuring an M & M Character in "naked cowboy" attire was a violation and could possibly net him a small fortune. A six million dollar lawsuit against Mars Inc and Chute Gerdeman, an Ohio ad agency was filed in Manhattan Federal Court this week claiming that an advertisement used his likeness without permission.

Other subway performers and musicians you will only see and hear in New York. Then you have the flat out weirdo's who will do anything for attention. In New York recently two men were arrested when they wheeled their dead friend in an office chair down the street to a check cashing place trying to cash his check. Although these types of things may be overlooked in the populated crazy boroughs of Manhattan, citizens noticed this strange sight and alerted the police.

My friends come to visit me and we hang out in New York to see all the crazy stuff. I can't really think of one thing that stood out in my mind. Seeing a man in drag is normal but when my son was just five years old and hanging out with me one spring day, his face twisted in confusion and his eyebrows were raised when he saw a giant man in a dress hailing a cab.

Just one of the things you'll see in New York (city that is).