The man behind one of Australia‘s most famous viral memes, Jack Karlson, has died at the age of 82.
An initial interaction was originally broadcast in 1991 but Karlson unwittingly became a global internet sensation in 2009 when video footage of him bellowing at Queensland police officers outside a Chinese restaurant was uploaded to the internet and quickly went viral.
“Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest,” he theatrically boomed at watching media cameras as a string of police officers attempted to pry him into a waiting patrol car.
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”What is the charge? Eating a meal – a succulent Chinese meal?”
“Have a look at the headlock here. See that chap over there?” he went on.
“Get your hand off my penis!”
Karlson had been eating at China Sea Restaurant in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley
Reports at the time suggested Karlson, then known as Cecil George Edwards, had been arrested on suspicion of being a criminal high on Queensland police’s wanted list.
While Karlson did have a criminal history himself, he was the wrong man.
Multiple clips of the video have since been viewed hundreds of millions of times, becoming one of Australia’s most-watched viral memes of all time.
It’s prompted countless reaction videos and poofs and his words have been immortalised on T-shirts, wine bottles and a music video.
The reporter who reported Karlson’s arrest 33 years ago, Chris Reason, confirmed Karlson’s death in a social media post on X, tweeting that “Mr Democracy Manifest has died”.
Karlson had advanced cancer, according to Reason.
Karlson is the subject of a documentary currently in production, set to be released in early 2025.
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