‘Succulent Chinese meal’ man reunites with cop at restaurant 30 years after viral video
The man behind the viral video has reunited with a police officer at the very same Brisbane restaurant where he was arrested 30 years ago.
The man behind the viral ‘succulent Chinese meal’ video has reunited with one of the police officers involved in his arrest at the very same Brisbane restaurant where he was infamously escorted out of decades ago.
Jack Karlson was arrested by police outside the China Sea Restaurant in October 1991, in a moment that would go down in Australian pop culture history and immortalised in a much-loved internet meme.
“Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest,” Mr Karlson dramatically said in the clip as officers attempted to escort him into a vehicle in front of reporters.
“Get your hand off my penis! Get your hand off my penis!” he shouted.
“Why did you do this to me? For what reason? What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal?”
Over three decades on, Mr Karlson reunited with one of the officers, Stoll Watt, at the restaurant on Wednesday to promote the upcoming documentary The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal, based on Mr Karlson’s life.
Now 82, Mr Karlson shared a meal with Mr Watt, describing the food as “succulent”.
Almost 33 years earlier, police had swarmed the eatery to arrest Mr Karlson while he was enjoying lunch with a friend.
Police believed he had been paying for lunches with stolen credit cards.
Mr Karlson continues to deny the allegations of credit card fraud, telling ABC “it was a case of mistaken identity”.
“[I was] released, I wasn’t the person they thought I was,” he said.
As for the moment he was allegedly inappropriately touched by a police officer, Mr Karlson admitted it was “probably made up”.
Speaking to 10 News First, Mr Watt said he was escorting Mr Karlson out of the restaurant when he touched his leg.
“When I was … assisting him out of the restaurant, he stumbled and I helped him up and I think I must have touched his thigh.”
Mr Watt and Mr Karlson also appeared on Today on Wednesday where the 82-year-old appeared to fall asleep for a full minute of his time on air.
Two minutes into the segment, Mr Karlson closed his eyes – and then didn’t open them again for almost 75 seconds, as the conversation carried on without him.
“I just got a little worried there, Jack might’ve nodded off like Weekend at Bernies. You still with us, Jackie boy?” Today hosts Karl Stefanovic asked, which prompted a bleary-eyed Mr Karlson to join the conversation once more.
The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal will tell the life story of Mr Karlson, who has spent most of his life in institutions, homes, and prisons.
Directed by Heath Davis and co-produced by Tim Randall and Mark Dapin (author of Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal), the film is currently set for release in March 2025.