TORONTO – A dentist in Red Deer, Alberta is hoping a tooth he purchased for over $30,000 that once belonged to John Lennon will contain enough DNA to clone the musician.
Speaking on Britain’s Channel 4 series Dead Famous DNA, Dr. Michael Zuk says his goal is “to own John Lennon’s DNA.”
The dentist says when cloning technology is advanced enough to replicate humans, he would raise the clone as his own son, get him guitar lessons, and try to keep him away from drugs and cigarettes.
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He also told the show he would be willing to do it more than once whether it worked the first time or not.
“If it works once it’s going to work again, right?” he commented.
Dr. Zuk purchased the tooth from Lennon’s former housekeeper at an auction in 2011.
The Beatle was reportedly close with the housekeeper and gave her the molar, which has been described as a “yellowy, browny tooth with a cavity,” in the 1960s before she moved to Canada.
Her family decided to sell it when she was turning 90 so that it would not be lost.
In 2012, Dr. Zuk purchased a dental crown made for rock legend Elvis Presley for $10,000 and is currently looking for other celebrity teeth to purchase.
Lennon was shot dead by Mark David Chapman on Dec. 8, 1980 as he returned home to his apartment in New York City with his wife, Yoko Ono. He was 40 years old.
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