Beloved comic Jerry Lewis insists his forgetfulness was to blame for a recent airport incident, which left him red faced over a concealed gun in his luggage.The ageing funnyman was stopped by airport police in Las Vegas last month after they found an unloaded gun in his boarding bag. But Lewis, who was cited and fined thousands for the slip-up, insists he had no idea he was travelling with a gun.In an exclusive interview with U.S. TV show Entertainment Tonight - his first since the incident - the comedian says, "I had a gun in my carrying case, which was given to me by a marvellous engraver... in 07. I put it in a travelling case and I hadn't travelled."My road manager came over and said, 'Do you have a gun in your bag?' I said, 'No, are you crazy?' I said, 'I know what I've packed Jeff.' (He said), 'Really, what's that there?'"Then it all flashed, a whole year flashed on me."Lewis can now see the funny side of his gun drama: "If I knew it was there, I'd have hid it better."The gun was confiscated and Lewis admits he has yet to reclaim it; he insists he'll take better care of it in future, and he has learned to make sure all his firearms are locked away safely. He adds, "You don't do that (travel with a gun). It's just not something that a gun owner fools with. You know better."

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