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Jack Karlson became an Australian legend on October 11, 1991 when he was arrested while enjoying a ‘succulent Chinese meal’.
And on Wednesday morning, more than 32 years later, the small-time crook sat for an interview alongside one of the police officers who arrested him, Stole Watt.
The duo, who have become fast friends since the infamous incident, flipped the lid on what really happened that day, reported ABC News Breakfast.
Host Michael Rowland asked Karlson if the entire arrest was ‘all a bit of performance art’ as the part-time actor crossed in live from Brisbane.
‘I suppose so. A bit hard to remember motives and that from going back that far,’ Karlson responded.
Jack Karlson (pictured) became an Australian legend on October 11, 1991 when he was arrested while enjoying a ‘succulent Chinese meal’
When recalling the events of that fateful day, Watt added: ‘Jack’s now a good mate of mine, but I have a different version of events to what actually occurred.
‘There’s a lot of different versions of the events. A lot of mysteries and misperceptions about the whole thing.
‘But the main thing is Jack should have got an Academy Award and he’s a good mate.’
Rowland, 55, went on to ask about one of Karlson’s most iconic lines when he yelled, ‘Get your hands off my penis!’ as the police wrestled him into the back of a cop car.
‘Was it true that an officer did grab you by the private parts or was that made up on the spot?’ Rowland said.
And on Wednesday morning, more than 32 years later, the small-time crook sat for an interview alongside one of the police officers who arrested him, Stole Watt (right)
Karlson responded: ‘Probably made up. Can’t remember.’
Watt then explained: ‘Jack has since said that he exaggerated that one. But I must say, Jack would have made a good detective in a different line of work.’
Sunrise also aired a report Wednesday morning as a documentary is set to come out about Karlson and the arrest which shot him to national fame.
The Channel Seven breakfast show hosts reflected on reporter Chris Reason, now 58, who originally reported on Karlson’s arrest in the early ’90s.
Presenter Monique Wright revealed she received a text from Reason which read: ‘I’ve been doing this job more than three decades now.
The duo, who have become fast friends since that historic day, flipped the lid on what really happened as ‘democracy manifest’, reported ABC News Breakfast
‘Covered Mandela, Bosnia, Ukraine, 9/11, all anyone wants to talk to me about is bloody Mr Democracy Manifest!’
The legendary ‘succulent Chinese meal’ arrest happened on October 11, 1991 and was filmed by a Channel 7 news crew helmed by Reason.
Reason received a tip-off that Karlson was being arrested because he used a stolen credit card to settle his bill, it was later found to be a case of mistaken identity.
Nevertheless, the arrest was filmed by the Network Seven news television crew and has been watched millions of times since it was uploaded to YouTube in 2009.
The faded footage shows a bear-like man delivering a series of off-the-cuff Shakespearean lines as he is reluctantly dragged away from his lunch.
Almost a quarter of a century after that incident – now known as the ‘Succulent Chinese Meal’ video or ‘Democracy Manifest’ – Karlson’s story has been told in a book called Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr Rent-a-Kill and the Australian Manson Murders, by Mark Dapin
‘Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest!’ Karlson booms at the camera. ‘Get your hand off my penis!
‘What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal? Ooh, that’s a nice headlock, sir. Ah yes, I see that you know your judo well.’
The arrest was a case of mistaken identity, but the minute-long clip has since become the subject of countless memes and even has its own Wikipedia page.
After much speculation, the moustachioed man hauled off by cops was revealed to be small-time crook, part-time actor and full-time showman Karlson.
Decades later, Karlson’s arrest story has been told in the book Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr Rent-a-Kill and the Australian Manson Murders by Mark Dapin.
Reporter Chris Reason, now 58, who covered the arrest back in 1991, recently said on Sunrise: ‘I’ve been doing this job more than three decades now. Covered Mandela, Bosnia, Ukraine, 9/11, all anyone wants to talk to me about is bloody Mr Democracy Manifest!’
Karlson will also appear in an upcoming documentary titled The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal.
Despite being wrongfully arrested, Karlson, who is now in his early eighties, has a long history being on the wrong side of the law.
He is known to have associations with some of Australia’s most notorious crooks from the ’70s to ’90s, such as Mark ‘Chopper’ Read and gangster Neddy Smith.
Karlson has been locked up in prisons in Brisbane (Boggo Road), Sydney (Parramatta, Long Bay) and Melbourne (Pentridge), and escaped from custody three times.
