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"Ah, New York. \nLike all major cities, the Big Apple has its own share of unique and iconic places: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge and many more.\nBut also iconic to New York are the people who live here. Maybe it's the large, diverse population of different cultures packed so tightly together \u2014 or maybe it's just something in the water. Whatever the case, there's nothing quite like walking through the streets of Gotham. \n(Really, where else can you take a casual stroll with a family of brightly colored rats on your shoulders and barely get a second glance?) \nWe've compiled a list of some of the people exclusive enough to only be seen here. Browse through the gallery below to see our collection of the top 10.\n\n\n10 People You'll Only See in NYC\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNaked Cowboy\n\nWell, nearly-naked cowboy is more like it.\nDonning a cowboy hat, boots, briefs and one strategically placed guitar, Robert John Burck can almost always be seen in Times Square strumming his six-string and waving to tourists. \nHe's stuck his nearly-naked foot in politics, too: In 2009, he challenged New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the election. The following year, he announced he was challenging President Barrack Obama in the 2012 election as a GOP candidate. He withdrew from both races shortly after entering.\nImage courtesy of Flickr, Diego Lopez\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMatthew Silver: The Great Performer\n\nMatthew Silver just wants people to smile.\nSilver, \"The Great Performer,\" can be seen throughout Manhattan using dance, song and oversized props to ease the tension of everyday life -- because, as he says on his website, \"it's OK to be silly from time to time.\"  \nImage courtesy of Flickr, charlesdyer.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat Dude With the Cat on His head\n\nYep. Not much else to say.\nLet's hope he at least keeps the cat's claws well clipped.\nImage courtesy of Flickr, edenpictures.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRanting Elmo\n\nJust like \"Tickle Me Elmo,\" only anti-Semitic and scary.\nHe claims his real name is Adam Sandler -- Mashable full disclosure: not the Adam Sandler we know and love -- and has a history of shouting anti-Semitic rants while dressed in an Elmo costume.  \nHe's been arrested several times for disorderly conduct, most recently in Times Square.\nImage courtesy of Flickr, libertygrace0.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSaw Lady\n\nNatalia Paruz's skills at using a carpenter's saw as a musical instrument have made her a one-of-a-kind act throughout the city -- and earned her the honorable title of \"Saw Lady.\"\nCheck out her eerily beautiful rendition of \"Silent Night.\"\nImage courtesy of Flickr, curtis palmer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlackwolf the Dragonmaster\n\nNew York City's \"first and only unofficial wizard.\" According to his resume, he's got more than 4,800 years of experience. \nImage courtesy of Flickr, TimWilson.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Upper East Side Lingerie Jogger\n\nElliot Offen, better known as the \"UES Lingerie Jogger,\" has gained notoriety around Manhattan's Upper East Side for his ladies' underwear-sporting runs. \nThe outspoken fitness fanatic is also a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show, where he yells and swears a lot -- seriously, watch this clip.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEast Village Topless Lady\n\nIn 1992, a law was passed that gave women the right to go shirtless anywhere in Manhattan. Philadelphia topless activist Moira Johnston, most often seen in the East Village, wants to raise awareness of it.  \nBack in May, she was detained by cops for walking shirtless in public, then released shortly afterwards when they realized she wasn't breaking any laws.  \nImage courtesy of Flickr, paularps. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRat Man\n\nIt's an often-repeated statistic that there are as many rats in New York as there are people; some go as far as to say there are four times as many rats as New Yorkers.\nOne New York resident, known largely as \"Rat Man,\" has embraced that ratio. He's been seen, usually in Times Square, with a gang of rats on his shoulders, head and -- sometimes -- in his mouth. He's dyed some of them different colors, too.  \nWatch the latest video of him and his rodent roommies.  \nImage courtesy of Flickr, emerille. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n... and Woody Allen.\n\nObviously.\nImage courtesy of Flickr, Rubenstein. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlso, be sure to check out the blog Humans of New York for daily photos about people in the city.\nAnybody we should have included? Let us know in the comments!\nImage courtesy of Flickr, Trodel"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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