"Shunted off into the bowels of the interview" is what British comedian Bill Bailey said when he came to visit TVNZ's Auckland office ahead of his extensive nationwide tour.
He was speaking to Seven Sharp's Jeremey Wells in the basement, where they discussed all things music ahead of his New Zealand tour.
Naturally, Bailey brings a lot of his instruments with him on tour – except the ones that get stopped at the border.
"I had an incident with a Kazoo. I don't think the person at the Customs... had ever seen a kazoo, knew what it was, didn't know how it functioned," he explained.
"I had to explain what it was – that, again, seemed a bit odd – having to play the kazoo to a Customs official.
"First of all, he thought it was some drug paraphernalia, 'cause it does look a bit like that."
It turned out the kazoo had a feather inside, which helps make its distinctive sound. The instrument was taken away because international feathers are a "banned substance" which isn't allowed past Customs, as per New Zealand's biosecurity rules.
Bailey managed to buy a new kazoo in Auckland.
Luckily for Bailey, his latest obsession – the rare three-stringed Turkish saz – had no issues clearing Customs.
"I actually serenaded Bernie Taupin with one quite recently, of Elton John fame," he said.
Bailey played Candle in the Wind – a song co-written by Taupin himself – on the 50th anniversary of its release.
He also recounted performing a song to former Beatle Paul McCartney.
"I played a Paul McCartney song, to Paul McCartney."
What followed was an impromptu jam session with McCartney's then-wife Heather Mills on the saxophone – to mixed results.
"We started playing and she couldn't play. She couldn't play at all. She made an absolutely horrendous racket.
"It was a very odd vibe in the room that I think was the point at which Paul McCartney went 'oh my God'."
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