Elton Throws Hissy Fit

12/07/1998 at 12:00 AM EST

Elton John nearly canceled a concert in the western Canadian city of Winnipeg this week after an apparent wrangle with customs officials, local media reported Wednesday. Canada Customs reportedly cleared the star in 10 minutes but took two hours to process his five-person entourage -- leading the star to threaten cancelation and forcing the city's openly gay mayor, Glen Murray, to step in and calm the waters. "He was very upset, but when Sir Elton discovered we were both gay and I did lots of AIDS work, it helped," Murray said in the Winnipeg Sun. Conciliatory measures included providing a police escort for Elton's limo and making him an honorary citizen of Winnipeg.