"I've hatched a clever plan ... the weather is terrible here right now, and one good thing about not being as famous as I was in 1999 is that I'm now playing indoor arenas," he said. "That's worked out really well for me."
The press conference continued with a number of stumbles; when a comedian from The Rock attempted to stage a stunt in which he stuttered his way through a question, Williams caught onto the game swiftly.
"Are you doing some comedy? Is this a thing?" he asked. "Well done Jim, you did it, your big thing."
Newshub's Ryan Bridge made a clunky attempt at humour when he asked Williams to "reflect" on his sexuality, given that he'd arrived during Pride month.
"I'm yet to partake in my first cock," said Williams, which a room full of grown adults found hilarious. "But there is still time. As of yet though, it hasn't happened."
In the rare moments he was able to speak about his Heavy Entertainment tour, Williams spoke about how a back problem provided an early setback.
"I wasn't too great last year, I was unwell," he said. "I'm in a better place because physically I'm better. I'm really looking forward to getting into these shows, and finishing this tour with gusto, because it started at a place where I didn't even think I could get through it."
Williams called his support act, Kiwi singer Tami Neilson, "incredible".
"She's a show person, she's got a massive personality and a huge voice, and she's a performer," he said. "I love her songs, I can't wait to stand by the stage and watch her perform."
Robbie Williams performs at Auckland's Spark Arena on February 14 and Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium on February 17.
