Home » “Democracy Manifest!” Aussie Bloke Behind One Of YouTube’s All-Time Classics Behind New Wine Label

28 May, 2020

“Democracy Manifest!” Aussie Bloke Behind One Of YouTube’s All-Time Classics Behind New Wine Label

We’ve had Kylie Minogue and even Snoop Dogg launch their own wines in recent weeks and now the bloke behind the infamously famous ‘Democracy Manifest’ YouTube clip has put his name to a bottle of Aussie pinot noir.

If you have no idea what B&T is talking about, you’ll need to watch the glorioulsy funny video (below) of a Sydney man called Jack Karlson who was hauled out of a local Chinese restaurant 30 years ago for allegedly repeatedly doing runners without paying the bill.

As the cops tried to drag him into a police vehicle, Karlson delivered – among a string of memorable one-liners – his now famous “Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest!”

He followed it up with some now-iconic lines like “Get your hands off my penis”, “What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal”, “Ah yes, I see that you know your judo well and ‘Ta-ta, and farewell”.

For the record, Karlson was later released without charge in a case of mistaken identity.

And three decades on, Karlson’s memorable performance has seen him lend his name to a new Aussie pinot noir called “Get Your Hands Off My Pinot”.

However, unlike a free succulent Chinese meal, a bottle of Karlson’s plonk doesn’t come cheap. A bottle will cost you $30, while a case retails for $320.

The idea’s the brainchild of alcohol delivery service Crowbar Sydney who said on its website: “This succulent Victorian Pinot is made with freshness as the main focus, bright red fruits that know their Judo well. Fine tannins that put the wine in a gentle headlock with a long finish.”

Karlson recently reminiscing of his infamous arrest to LADbible: “They thought I 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.

“I tried to pretend to be a lunatic to get to a lunatic asylum because often in the past, back in those days I was a bit wild, and I thought maybe I just carry on the way I carry on and they might send me to a lunatic asylum.

“They’re easy to escape from…I’ve done it a couple of times before.

“They dragged me out of the restaurant and I just carried on. They were trying to put handcuffs on me, pulling my arm behind my back, I just thought I would say something that would distract them,” he said.

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