David Johansen, a singer known for his Buster Poindexter alter ego and for founding the influential punk band New York Dolls, announced Monday he has stage 4 cancer.
The “Hot Hot Hot” singer, 75, was originally diagnosed in 2020 and had kept his illness private, even after it progressed to a brain tumor. However, he decided to go public due to financial hardship and to ask for donations to pay for medical care.
“David is a legend but he’s also my very real very sick dad,” his daughter Leah Hennessy said in an Instagram post.
The Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which is handling the donations, is also selling an exclusive t-shirt with proceeds going toward Johansen’s expenses, which include full-time nursing and physical therapy with the hopes of regaining some mobility following a broken back in Nov. 2024 that left him bedridden and incapacitated.
“We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation,” Johansen said in a statement on the fund website. “This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you.”
Johansen and his family did not offer specifics for the type of cancer.
On top of his music career, Johansen has extensive acting credits, including a turn as The Ghost of Christmas Past in “Scrooged.”