Is third time the charm? 1,500+ attempt to break kazoo world record in Macon

Jesse Fraga
·2 min read

Over 1,000 kazoo-humming attendees, including some from out of state, heartbreakingly failed to break the Guinness World Record for the largest kazoo ensemble on Friday in Macon.

Attendees paid $5 to play plastic kazoos for five minutes straight at Atrium Health Amphitheater. The world record for the largest kazoo ensemble had 5,190 people. But only 1,780 tickets were sold, according to Brenda Cassabon, director of Sparkle Strategy for TK PR, a public relations company.

During the five minute riff, the crowd hummed Macon-esque hits by the Allman Brothers Band and Otis Redding, and other tunes including the Super Mario Bros. and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” theme songs.

Participants play a medley of songs by Macon artists during the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.
Participants play a medley of songs by Macon artists during the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.

They prepped minutes before with some comedic coaching by none other than Brett Ambler, who was a kazoo-playing childhood star of a viral meme in the late 2010s.

More than half the crowd had left Atrium Health Amphitheater before the hosts revealed whether the group had broken the record.

The show went on though. By the end of the night, less than 100 lingering attendees had withstood a stand-up comedy show and Swedish rock band performance, hoping to find out if they broke the record.

Event hosts never told them.

Macon has now failed not once, not twice, but three times to break this record. It also failed in 2006 and 2007.

Brett Ambler, star of the viral “Kazoo Kid” meme, leads attendees in kazoo warm ups before the start of the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.

Aaron Sadovsky, a self-described rocker, drove nine hours from Coconut Grove in Miami to Macon, solely to try and help break the record. A gold kazoo he won during a Jam Cruise hung from his neck.

“This could be our finest moment yet,” the top hat-wearing man said. “I refuse to believe that anyone could come here and have a bad time.”

Mary Kate Wootten showed up two hours before the record attempt to get a front-row seat in the theater. Turned out there were plenty of empty seats from which to choose.

Brady Gonzalez holds two kazoos before the start of the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.
Brady Gonzalez holds two kazoos before the start of the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.

The 27-year-old plans to throw this very practical semi-achievement on her property management résumé.

“I’m gonna add this to my LinkedIn,” Wootten shouted over kazoos blasting around her.

Participants practice playing their kazoos before the start of the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.
Participants practice playing their kazoos before the start of the Guinness World Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia. Over 1,000 participants came out for the event, but their third record attempt failed to meet the mark for the record.

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