Jack Karlson, the Australian man who uttered the now famous eating a "succulent Chinese meal" and "democracy manifest" lines during an arrest, has died.
He was 82.
Chris Reason, the 7News journalist who covered Karlson’s arrest and produced other stories on him more recently, announced his death on X.
Karlson's dramatic arrest in Queensland was in 1991, but he became a sensation after vision of the incident was posted to YouTube in 2009.
His theatrical demeanour and one-liners as police struggled to get him into a patrol car saw the video go viral.
"Ta ta and farewell" were his last words in the video.
The arrest ultimately ended up being a case of mistaken identity, and Karlson was released shortly after.
According to 7News, Karlson, then known as Cecil George Edwards, was arrested on suspicion of being a criminal on Queensland’s wanted list.
His death comes after his family recently announced he had been diagnosed with cancer.
When asked what prompted the outburst in 2022 by 7News, who filmed the original arrest footage, Karlson said: "I thought, 'Here’s an opportunity to prove my innocence, because they’ve dragged me out, thinking I was some sort of international gangster, when I knew that I wasn’t.
"Here’s a chance, the camera, for the people of Australia and to let democracy manifest itself gloriously.
"That’s why I carried on like that.
"Of course, I was somewhat influenced by the juice of the red grape."
While the 1991 incident was a case of mistaken identity, Karlson did have a history of being on the wrong side of the law.
He spent much of the first half of his life in and out of prison for various petty crimes, and was known to frequently escape, according to the Daily Mail.
Since the video emerged, Karlson’s outburst has become something of a cultural phenomenon.
He painted scenes of his arrest, released a brand of wine, and even printed t-shirts. In 2022, he featured in a music video for Aussie punk band The Chats.
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