Karl Stefanovic was left ‘worried’ when an iconic guest appeared to fall asleep during a trainwreck interview on Wednesday’s Today show.
The TV presenter, 49, and his co-host Sarah Abo became concerned while interviewing Australian legend Jack Karlson on the Nine Network show.
Karlson was famously arrested while enjoying a ‘succulent Chinese meal’ on October 11, 1991, and appeared on Today to discuss the incident more than 32 years on.
He joined the show via video link from Brisbane alongside one of the police officers who arrested him, Stoll Watt, who have become fast friends since the viral moment.
But the interview got off to a bumpy start as the two friends struggled to hear the show’s hosts before things got even worse when Karlson appeared to fall asleep.
About two minutes into the chat, Karlson closed his eyes as Watt spoke and didn’t open them again for more than a minute as the conversation carried on.
When Stoll finished speaking, Stefanovic said: ‘I just got a little worried there, Jack might’ve nodded off like Weekend at Bernies. You still with us, Jackie boy?’
Karlson, who is now in his eighties, then opened his eyes and rejoined the conversation, with Stefanovic and Abo trying not to laugh.
Things took another turn when Stefanovic then asked ‘Mr Democracy Manifest’ how he ‘got off’ after his arrest, but Karlson didn’t understand what he meant.
Stefanovic then clarified that he was asking how he avoided going to jail, prompting Karlson to reply: ‘Oh, they realised that I wasn’t the person they were looking for.’
Karlson and Watt have appeared on a string of chat shows promoting a new documentary based on Jack’s life, called The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal.
The duo appeared on ABC News Breakfast earlier on Wednesday to lift the lid on what really happened on the now-infamous day more than 32 years ago.
Host Michael Rowland asked part-time actor Karlson if the entire arrest was ‘all a bit of performance art’.
‘I suppose so. A bit hard to remember motives and that from going back that far,’ he responded.
When recalling the events of that fateful day, Watt added: ‘Jack’s now a good mate of mine, but I have a different version of events to what actually occurred.
‘There’s a lot of different versions of the events. A lot of mysteries and misperceptions about the whole thing.
‘But the main thing is Jack should have got an Academy Award and he’s a good mate.’
Rowland, 55, went on to ask about one of Karlson’s most iconic lines when he yelled, ‘Get your hands off my penis!’ as the police wrestled him into the back of a cop car.
‘Was it true that an officer did grab you by the private parts or was that made up on the spot?’ Rowland said.
Karlson responded: ‘Probably made up. Can’t remember.’
Watt then explained: ‘Jack has since said that he exaggerated that one. But I must say, Jack would have made a good detective in a different line of work.’
The legendary ‘succulent Chinese meal’ arrest happened on October 11, 1991 and was filmed by a Channel 7 news crew helmed by Reason.
Reason received a tip-off that Karlson was being arrested because he used a stolen credit card to settle his bill, it was later found to be a case of mistaken identity.
Nevertheless, the arrest was filmed by the Network Seven news television crew and has been watched millions of times since it was uploaded to YouTube in 2009.
The faded footage shows Karlson delivering a series of off-the-cuff Shakespearean lines as he is reluctantly dragged away from his lunch.
‘Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest!’ Karlson booms at the camera. ‘Get your hand off my penis!
‘What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal? Ooh, that’s a nice headlock, sir. Ah yes, I see that you know your judo well.’
The minute-long clip has since become the subject of countless memes and even has its own Wikipedia page.
After much speculation, the man hauled off by cops was revealed to be small-time crook, part-time actor and full-time showman Karlson.
Decades later, Karlson’s arrest story has been told in the book Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr Rent-a-Kill and the Australian Manson Murders by Mark Dapin.
Karlson will also appear in an upcoming documentary titled The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal.
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The viral sensation will also appear in an upcoming documentary, titled The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal.
Karlson is a talented painter and actor who starred in a music video for punk rock band The Chats and appeared as an extra in classic Australian television dramas Homicide, Division 4 and Matlock Police.
Karlson is also known to have had associations with some of Australia’s most notorious crooks from the ’70s to ’90s, such as Mark ‘Chopper’ Read and gangster Neddy Smith.
He has been locked up in prisons in Brisbane (Boggo Road), Sydney (Parramatta, Long Bay) and Melbourne (Pentridge), and escaped from custody three times.