Jack Karlson became an Australian legend on October 11, 1991 when he was arrested while enjoying “succulent Chinese food.”
And on Wednesday morning, more than 32 years later, the petty criminal sat down for an interview alongside one of the police officers who arrested him, Stoll Watt.
The duo, who quickly became friends since the infamous incident, revealed what really happened that day, reported ABC News Breakfast.
Host Michael Rowland asked Karlson if the whole arrest was “a bit of performance art” when the part-time actor arrived live from Brisbane.
‘I guess so. It’s a little hard to remember the reasons and that’s considering we go back so far,” Karlson responded.
Jack Karlson (pictured) became an Australian legend on October 11, 1991 when he was arrested while enjoying “succulent Chinese food.”
Recalling the events of that fateful day, Watt added: “Jack is now a good friend of mine, but I have a different version of events than what actually happened.”
‘There are many different versions of events. Lots of mysteries and misperceptions about the whole thing.
“But the main thing is that Jack should have received an Academy Award and is a good friend.”
Rowland, 55, asked about one of Karlson’s most iconic lines when he yelled, “Get your hands off my penis!” as the police put him in the back of a police car.
‘Was it true that an officer grabbed you by your private parts or was it made up on the spot?’ Rowland said.
And on Wednesday morning, more than 32 years later, the petty criminal sat down for an interview alongside one of the police officers who arrested him, Stole Watt (right).
Karlson responded: “Probably made up.” I do not remember.
Watt later explained: ‘Jack has since said that he exaggerated that. But I have to say that Jack would have made a good detective in another line of work.
Sunrise also aired a report Wednesday morning when a documentary about Karlson and the arrest that brought him to national fame will be released.
Presenters of the Channel Seven breakfast show reflected on reporter Chris Reason, now 58, who originally reported on Karlson’s arrest in the early 1990s.
Host Monique Wright revealed that she received a text message from Reason saying: “I’ve been doing this work for over three decades.”
The duo, who quickly became friends since that historic day, revealed what really happened as a “manifesto of democracy,” ABC News Breakfast reported.
‘I covered Mandela, Bosnia, Ukraine, 9/11, everyone wants to talk to me about the damn Democracy Manifesto!’
The legendary “succulent Chinese food” arrest occurred on October 11, 1991 and was filmed by a Channel 7 news crew led by Reason.
Reason received a tip that Karlson was being arrested because he used a stolen credit card to pay his bill; It was later discovered that this was a case of mistaken identity.
However, the arrest was filmed by the Network Seven news television crew and has been viewed millions of times since it was uploaded to YouTube in 2009.
The faded footage shows a bear-like man uttering a series of improvised 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 Manifesto’), Karlson’s story has been told in a book called Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr. Rent-a-Kill and the Manson Murders in Australia, by Mark Dapin
‘Gentlemen, this is manifest democracy!’ Karlson yells at the camera. ‘Take your hand off my penis!
‘What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal? Oh, what a nice key, sir. Ah yes, I see you know 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 mustachioed man detained by police was revealed to be Karlson, a small-time criminal, part-time actor and full-time showman.
Decades later, the story of Karlson’s arrest is told in the book Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr Rent-a-Kill and the Australian Manson Murders by Mark Dapin.
Journalist Chris Reason, now 58, who covered the arrest in 1991, recently told Sunrise: ‘I’ve been doing this work for more than three decades. I covered Mandela, Bosnia, Ukraine, 9/11, everyone wants to talk to me about the damn Democracy Manifesto!’
Karlson will also appear in an upcoming documentary titled The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal.
Despite being wrongfully arrested, Karlson, now in his early eighties, has a long history of being on the wrong side of the law.
He is known to have associations with some of Australia’s most notorious criminals from the 1970s to 1990s, including 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 custody three times.