When a 1991 news tape of Jack Karlson’s arrest at a Chinese restaurant in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley was made available online, the man gained notoriety in 2009.
Renowned for the iconic “democracy manifest” and “succulent Chinese meal” videos, Jack Karlson passed away on August 7 at the age of 82. Karlson’s family released a statement confirming his passing and stating that he had prostate cancer.
“He walked a full and colourful path and despite the troubles thrown at him, he lived by his motto – to keep on laughing,” the statement read.
Karlson had been in the hospital for the previous three weeks, and, as his niece Kim Edwards reported to The Independent, “he asked us many times to sneak in his pipe.” Karlson had made multiple attempts to escape.
She added that they gave Karlson a “last taste of red wine through his drip” as a final farewell.
Karlson was a frequent jail escapee and part-time criminal. Whether this was his real name or not is still up for debate. When a 1991 news tape of his arrest at a Chinese restaurant in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley was made available online, he gained notoriety in 2009.
Karlson consistently maintained that he was misidentified, even though he was suspected of using a credit card that had been stolen.
“What is the fee? Consuming food? A delicious Chinese dinner?” Karlson gave a dramatic yell and resisted a squad of police officers.
His other well-known quotes include “Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest.”
This crucial event has inspired a ton of memes, music remixes, reaction videos, and even a few tattoos. There’s also Democracy Manifest, a racehorse that is a purebred Australian. Day after his 82nd birthday, Karlson passed away.
In the meantime, The Man Who Ate a Succulent Chinese Meal, a documentary about Karlson, is being directed by filmmaker Heath Davis. Early in 2025 is when the movie is supposed to be released. In a Guardian interview, Davis called Karlson “the last Australian larrikin.”
Karlson’s real name was Cecil George Edwards, according to Mark Depin, associate producer of the documentary and author of a nonfiction book based on his life. Karlson is eighty-two years old.
