Big Daddy Graham battling throat cancer

Best wishes to 610 WIP's Big Daddy Graham who begins treatment Thursday for throat cancer.

The comedian revealed his condition to listeners on his overnight show and this morning on Angelo Cataldi's morning show. Graham, whose real name is Ed Gudonis, says doctors found and removed a lump while trying to put a breathing tube down his throat before a recent back surgery. It was malignant. He expects to be off air for at least two months.

The back surgery was followed by a staph infection and then the cancer diagnosis which canceled a trip to Aruba he was planning with wife Debbie. Graham says Debbie has been wonderful and he knows will continue to be supportive throughout his battle with cancer. The Mullica Hill resident seems in good spirits. "My doctors say it's curable. I'm going to survive. I know it could be a lot worse," he told us by phone this morning. Graham also thanked WIP which he said has been fantastic and will allow him all the time off he needs during his treatment and recovery process.

For the record, Graham says he was an occasional smoker as a kid and into adulthood, but hasn't had a cigarette for 18 years.

The comedian jokes about almost anything, but he's not sure if cancer will find its way into his comedy act. "Will I make something funny out of it? I don't know. It's an ugly word."