The singer shared his experience regarding his daughter’s battle with cancer and the challenges she has faced during her treatment.
John Mellencamp opened up about his daughter’s situation as he talked about her cancer diagnosis with Joe Rogan on his podcast.
During Wednesday’s episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the 74-year-old Mellencamp acknowledged that his daughter, Teddi, is currently having a hard time.
As the conversation shifted to family matters, Mellencamp mentioned that fathers often lose touch with their daughters during their teenage years.
He remarked: “Girls, at about 12, you lose them and then about 21 they come back. I kinda lost mine.”
Rogan countered, saying he maintained a good relationship with his teenage daughters, leading Mellencamp to reflect on his frequent touring during his children’s younger years.
The ‘Jack & Diane’ musician went on to describe what Teddi, now 44, was like growing up, emphasizing their close bond.
He recalled: “That kid used to call me up and I’d go, ‘Teddi, you can have a thought without asking me if it’s … you know, figure it out yourself.’”
Laughing, he continued: “You don’t have to ask me everything, you know?”
Mellencamp briefly mentioned her battle with cancer and how their relationship has evolved recently.
He stated: “I do have a daughter that is really sick. It’s not f**king fun. She has got cancer in the brain and she is suffering right now.”
Rogan expressed his sympathies before the discussion moved forward.
Teddi, known from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer in early 2025, following her previous battle with Melanoma in 2022.
Since her diagnosis, she has undergone multiple surgeries to remove tumors and has publicly credited her father for his unwavering support throughout her health challenges.
Last October, she expressed gratitude to her father by sharing a photo of him with her two daughters, Slate and Dove, on social media.
On Instagram, she wrote: “It’s been 10 months since my brain surgery and I am so grateful to @johnmellencamp for continuously being there for me and my family the entire time.”
In a playful tone, she added: “Although apparently now that I’m no evidence of disease I can take photos without myself in it so I guess we’re all healing 🤣. Love you so much, Cougs. Thank you for everything.”