NEW YORK (AP) — Mitt Romney says a recent airplane scuffle with a rap star "broke my hair."

The 2008 Republican presidential contender joked about the confrontation on Tuesday on the "Late Show with David Letterman."

Romney says rapper Sky Blu ignored the instruction "we've all heard 10,000 times" to put his seat back upright, so the former Massachusetts governor "tapped him on the shoulder and reminded him of that direction."

Blu is a member of LMFAO and the grandson of Motown founder Berry Gordy. His real name is Skyler Gordy. He says Romney clasped him with a "Vulcan grip" on the Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles, so he reacted instinctively by lashing back at him.

The highly gelled Romney says: "He gave a good swat — and broke my hair."

Romney also says he'll "keep the door open" to another run in 2012. And he calls potential rival Sarah Palin "terrific."