Jack Karlson became an Australian legend on October 11, 1991 when he was arrested while enjoying a ‘juicy Chinese meal’.
And Wednesday morning, more than 32 years later, the little crook sat for an interview next to one of the police officers who arrested him, Stoll Watt.
The duo, who have become fast friends since the infamous incident, opened up about what really happened that day, reported ABC News Breakfast.
Host Michael Rowland asked Karlson if the whole arrest was “all a piece of performance art” as the part-time actor called in live from Brisbane.
‘I think so. It’s a little hard to remember the motifs because you go back so far,” Karlson responded.
Jack Karlson (pictured) became an Australian legend on October 11, 1991 when he was arrested while enjoying a ‘juicy Chinese meal’
Recalling the events of that fateful day, Watt added: “Jack is a good friend of mine now, but I have a different version of events than what actually took place.
‘There are many different versions of events. There are many mysteries and misconceptions about the whole thing.
“But the most important thing is that Jack should have gotten an Academy Award and he’s a good friend.”
Rowland, 55, went on to ask about one of Karlson’s most iconic lines when he shouted, “Get your hands off my penis!” as police wrestled him into the back of a police car.
“Was it true that a police officer grabbed your genitals or was that made up on the spot?” Rowland said.
And on Wednesday morning, more than 32 years later, the little crook sat for an interview next to one of the police officers who arrested him, Stoll Watt (right)
Karlson replied, “Probably made up. I do not know anymore.’
Watt then explained, “Jack has since said he exaggerated that one. But I have to say that in another field Jack would have been a good detective.”
Sunrise also aired a report Wednesday morning, as a documentary will be released about Karlson and the arrest that brought him national fame.
The hosts of Channel Seven’s 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 had received a text from Reason saying: ‘I’ve been doing this job for over thirty years.
The duo, who have become fast friends since that historic day, turned the lid on what really happened as a “democracy manifesto,” ABC News Breakfast reported.
‘Covers Mandela, Bosnia, Ukraine, 9/11, all anyone wants to talk to me about is the bloody Mr Democracy Manifesto!’
The legendary bust of the ‘juicy Chinese meal’ took place on October 11, 1991 and was filmed by a Channel 7 news crew led by Reason.
Reason received a tip that Karlson was arrested for using a stolen credit card to pay his bill. It later turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.
Nevertheless, the arrest was filmed by Network Seven’s news television crew and has been viewed millions of times since the arrest was uploaded to YouTube in 2009.
The blurred footage shows a bear-like man delivering a series of off-the-cuff Shakespearean lines as he is reluctantly dragged away from his lunch.
Nearly a quarter 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 Australian Manson Murders, by Mark Dapin
‘Gentlemen, this is a manifesto of democracy!’ Karlson roars at the camera. ‘Get your hand off my penis!
‘What’s the charge? Eating a meal? A juicy Chinese meal? Ooh, that’s a nice headlock, sir. Ah yes, I see you know judo well.’
The minute-long clip has since become the subject of countless memes and even has its own Wikipedia page.
After much speculation, it was revealed that the mustachioed man taken away by the police was small-time crook, part-time actor and full-time showman Karlson.
Decades later, Karlson’s arrest story is told in Mark Dapin’s book Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr Rent-a-Kill and the Australian Manson Murders.
Reporter Chris Reason, now 58, who covered the 1991 arrest, recently told Sunrise: “I’ve been doing this job for more than 30 years. Covered Mandela, Bosnia, Ukraine, September 11, all anyone wants to talk to me about is the bloody Mr Democracy Manifesto!’
Karlson will also appear in an upcoming documentary entitled The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal.
Despite being wrongfully arrested, Karlson, who is now in his early 80s, has a long history of being on the wrong side of the law.
He is known to have links to some of Australia’s most notorious outlaws from the 1970s to 1990s, such as Mark ‘Chopper’ Read and gangster Neddy Smith.
Karlson has been held in prisons in Brisbane (Boggo Road), Sydney (Parramatta, Long Bay) and Melbourne (Pentridge) and has escaped from custody three times.