Man from viral 'succulent Chinese meal' arrest Jack Karlson dies aged 82
Jack Karlson became an icon online after a video of his 1991 arrest outside a Chinese restaurant in Brisbane went viral
Jack Karlson, the man who became famous online after his arrest while enjoying a 'succulent Chinese meal', has died at the age of 82.
Karlson shot to viral fame after the video of his arrest at a restaurant in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley in 1991 was posted online in 2009.
During the clip Karlson can be seen struggling with officers while questioning why he is being arrested in a booming theatrical tone.
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Walking out of the restaurant, an officer told him 'you're under arrest' and he responded: "I'm under what?!"
As officers tried to wrestle Karlson into a waiting car he intoned: "Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest!"
Karlson added: "Get a look at that headlock there," Before interrupting himself to bellow at an officer: “Get your hand off my penis!”
Officers struggled to get him into the car while Karlson, who seemed remarkably unfazed by their efforts, cried out: “What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal?”
Finally as officers manoeuvred him into the vehicle he said: "Ta-tar, and farewell!"
Karlson's family confirmed that he died at 6.31pm on Wednesday (7 August) surrounded by his loved ones.
In a statement, they said: “He walked a full and colourful path and despite the troubles thrown at him, he lived by his motto - to keep on laughing.
“Jack leaves daughter Heidi, his son Erik, his nieces Kim, Kelly and Kerry, and nephew Karl, grandchildren Terri-Lace and Nec and many grand nieces and nephews behind, along with countless others whose lives he touched.
"He will be sorely missed.”
His niece, Kim Edwards, confirmed that he had passed away following a prostate cancer diagnosis.
She added: "As a final send off, we gave uncle a last taste of red wine through his drip just before it was removed."
As for his viral fame, Karlson appeared to be unbothered by it, previously telling reporters: “It’s on the internet or something.”
In 2020, Karlson told LADbible that the authorities thought he was 'some international criminal, a Hungarian who used to rob restaurants'.
He said: "They thought I was him... which I'm obviously not.
"They ran in and arrested me and that's what you saw on the video.
"I knew the cops hated me so I thought they might have tried to grab me for something I did not do."
The 82-year-old lived a colourful life, being a small-time criminal who was allegedly once described by a judge as having 'eight aliases', though in an interview with The Guardian he claimed to have had ten.
Karlson was famous online, but there was a great deal more to his extraordinary life than can be shown in a 68 second YouTube clip.
Topics: News, World News, Social Media, Australia
Kit Roberts