‘Declaration of Democracy’ diner in viral ‘Juicy Chinese Food’ video dies

Australian man Jack Karlson, who became an internet sensation after protesting his arrest after a “delicious Chinese meal”, has died. He is 82 years old.

Carlson rose to prominence in the early 1990s after speaking out against his arrest outside a Chinese seafood restaurant in Brisbane, Queensland. In a viral video 7 newsDuring the incident, Carlson dramatically resisted efforts by several police officers to escort him to his car. Rather than go quietly, Carlson dramatically declared that what happened to him was a demonstration of democracy in action and demanded to know the reason for his arrest.

“Gentlemen, this is democracy in action,” Carlson declared. “What’s the charge? A meal? Juicy Chinese food?”

He also yelled at the officers to “get your hands off my penis” and praised their headlock, saying: “I see you know a lot about judo.” Carlson was not shown in a headlock, He later admitted that no one had touched his genitals.

Although Carlson’s arrest was filmed on October 11, 1991, it did not circulate online until nearly two decades later. The clip was uploaded to YouTube in 2009, eventually seeping into the public consciousness and becoming a viral meme that took the world by storm. The footage is now so well-known that it was even mentioned in an Australian series on Netflix Heartbreak high.

“What’s the charge? A meal? Juicy Chinese food?”

Although the video went viral, Carlson’s identity remained a mystery until 2020, when he publicly came forward as the person in the video. Carlson spent his later years in art, trying to make money by painting his famous arrest scene.

Carlson had been battling prostate cancer at the time of his death. He died in hospital, surrounded by loved ones.

Tributes poured in on social media, with many saying they planned to enjoy a delicious Chinese meal in his name.

Tweet may have been deleted

Tweet may have been deleted

Among those who paid their respects were 7 news Senior Correspondent Chris Rein, whose work as a junior reporter gave us memes. Karlson and Reason met for the first time as recently as June, when 7 news They reunited with Stoll Watt, one of the arresting police officers. The men enjoyed a delicious Chinese meal at China Sea, a restaurant that moved to Milton in subsequent years but still has the same owners.

The reunion was prompted by a documentary currently in production about Carlson’s life, A man who had a juicy Chinese meal It is currently scheduled to be released in March next year.

“Delicious Chinese Food” The History of Men

Carlson, whose real name was Cecil George Edwards, had an interesting history before his arrest, according to ABC News. Carlson was a criminal, actor, and serial prison escapee who was abused as a child and spent much of his life in various homes, institutions, and prisons.

Carlson’s first prison escape reportedly occurred in 1966, when he was accused of theft and took off his handcuffs and jumped from a train, taking him from prison to court. Later, Carlson was imprisoned on an island prison farm for another theft case. Carlson’s second escape reportedly occurred in 1968, when he persuaded local fishermen to take him to the Australian mainland.

Just three months after his escape, he was arrested again with a lockpick in a stolen car. This time, Carlson impersonated a police detective and walked out of the courthouse cell shortly before the trial, an escape he later said he was “very proud of”.

After Carlson was eventually captured for good, he was sentenced to eight years in prison. However, thanks to his cooperation with fellow inmate Jim McNeil, he was eventually released after just four years. McNeil discovered a talent for writing and eventually became a famous playwright, whose works were performed across Australia. Meanwhile, Carlson discovered his interest in acting, performing in inmates’ plays while the two were in prison.

After his release, they remained good friends and Carlson even named his son after McNeil. Although legal issues prevented him from attending McNeil’s funeral in 1982, Carlson claimed that he used a false identity to purchase “hundreds of dollars’ worth of flowers and wreaths.”

Carlson also continued acting, appearing in crime shows such as kill and matlock police. However, his theatrical ambitions came to an abrupt end when he reportedly went underground following his arrest in 1991.

Was this “obviously democratic” man falsely accused?

Despite long-standing speculation that the “Democratic Manifesto” man was a prolific restaurant fanatic, Carlson has always maintained that he was eating a perfectly legal lunch when he was arrested.

On that fateful day in October 1991, Carlson and a friend were enjoying “a delicious Chinese meal” at his favorite restaurant when police showed up and arrested him. Thanks to calls from private fraud investigators, authorities believe Carlson had been paying for meals with stolen credit cards and is one of Queensland’s most wanted fugitives.

“He was happy to come with us. Well, it’s great to be arrested,” Adam Firman, another officer involved, told ABC. “Until he saw all the media. That’s when he went crazy.”

Carlson managed to post bail after his arrest, even though he was wanted for fraud in another state. Then he disappeared, keeping a low profile for decades. To this day, it remains unclear whether he was the madman police had been looking for, or whether he had been wrongly accused.

He also gave different explanations for his actions on the day of his arrest. In 2020, when Carlson was first identified as the subject of the viral video, he said he wanted police to think he was mentally unstable.

“I wanted them to think I was… a lunatic, so they would send me to a lunatic asylum so I could escape from there,” Carlson said. sydney morning herald.

Later, in a 2022 interview with Brisbane’s 7NEWS, the popular star claimed it was an attempt to prove his innocence and was the result of his drinking.

“I thought, ‘This is an opportunity to prove my innocence because they dragged me out thinking I was some kind of international gangster, which I know I’m not,'” Carlson explained to the broadcaster. “For the Australian people Say, this is an opportunity, camera, for democracy to shine through gloriously. That’s why I continue to do it. Of course, I was influenced to some extent by red grape juice. “

However, he told ABC News earlier this year that he couldn’t remember why he made such a statement. Whatever the reason, his words will now forever be one of the most prolific memes in Australian culture.

“That’s a great line and I think he deserves an Oscar,” Watt said of Carlson’s false claim that the former touched his penis. “I think he’s going to be a great actor.”