Jack Karlson, who shot to fame after ‘succulent Chinese meal’ arrest, dies aged 82
The man who immortalised the phrase “this is democracy manifest” while starring in what has been described as the pre-eminent Australian meme, Jack Karlson, has died aged 82.
Karlson – although there are debates as to whether this was his real name or one of many aliases – was a serial prison escaper and small-time crook who shot to fame in 2009 after a news clip of his arrest at a Chinese restaurant in Brisbane’s seedy Fortitude Valley in 1991 was uploaded on to the internet.
“What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal?” Karlson theatrically boomed as his bear-like frame resisted a string of police officers.
Chris Reason, the Channel 7 journalist who reported Karlson’s arrest 33 years ago, paid tribute to Karlson on social media site X, tweeting that “Mr Democracy Manifest has died”.
“The cultural icon, whose arrest inspired a thousand t-shirts and millions of downloads, had advanced cancer,” Reason wrote, adding that his “immortal words” would echo through generations.
Karlson is the subject of a documentary currently in production.
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