In maybe the most epic example of true fan devotion, the Canadian dentist who bought John Lennon’s molar for $30,000 is making plans to clone the famous musician.
Dr. Michael Zuk turned the tooth over to scientists at Penn State University to have them sequence the genetic code.
In a press release, Zuk said he was nervous and excited about the possibilities. “With researchers working on ways to clone mammoths, the same technology certainly could make human cloning a reality,” he said, adding “"to potentially say I had a small part in bringing back one of Rock's greatest stars would be mind-blowing.”
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Rolling Stone reported when Zuk first bought the tooth that the molar was so decayed it would be unlikely that DNA could be pulled from it. But Zuk believes it’s possible.
Lennon gave the tooth to his housekeeper after he had it removed, and she kept it to give to her daughter until it sold at auction in 2011, Rolling Stone said.
Zuk is passionate and kind of funny about his objective, as is clear from the
www.johnlennontooth.com website he set up that plays a parody version of Lennon’s song, “Love Me Do,” tweaked to go something like this: “Love, love me tooth. You know I love you. I’ll always be Zuk, so pleeeeease love me tooth.”
Though Zuk has taken some pretty good ribbing about his purchase (and he owns other celebrity teeth, like Elvis Presley’s crown), the website shows a good sense of humor about the project. In the history section, it says:
“The obsessed dentist went into overdrive and immediately pumped the press for more exposure, dreamed up a number of charity ideas, wrote a song parody, arranged a photo shoot, designed a DNA sculpture and worked behind the scenes on the DNA mystery. This was not just a rotten stinky tooth ... it was an actual physical specimen of a historical figure worth more by weight and size than any other element on earth. (Read more in his book 'John Lennon Tooth' - on blurb.com).”
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