MTV News is downplaying reports that Johnny Ramone is near death. That story, which originated with comments Marky Ramone made to Rolling Stone, was widely reported yesterday.

The Ramones guitarist, who has been living with prostate cancer for several years, was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recently. His physician, Dr. David Agus, told MTV News that it was due to a "complication from the cancer. But he got through it, and he's now on a new, experimental therapy. He's fighting courageously, and I think he will be going home in the near term."

Johnny remained silent to the press about his condition, but his wife Linda downplayed the severity of the incident: "He's not dying… He was okay for years, and he's fine now. He's in the hospital, but he's not in ICU. And I think he may be leaving by tomorrow."