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The phrase comes from Australian man Jack Karlson, also known as Mr Democracy Manifest, who was arrested in 1991 outside the China Sea restaurant in Brisbane. The footage, originally shot for a news report, resurfaced online decades later and spread widely on YouTube and social media because of his theatrical protest and unusual phrasing. Karlson maintained his innocence, and the clip became a lasting Australian meme quoted in remixes, parodies and everyday jokes about being accused or interrupted during a meal.
About this sound
A man shouts what is the charge during a famous Australian arrest, asking about his succulent Chinese meal. It is used for dramatic and funny overreactions.
This is the iconic line from Jack Karlson during his 1991 arrest outside a Brisbane restaurant, delivered in a loud theatrical voice that turns a police confrontation into comedy. He protests his innocence, asks what the charge is, and famously demands to know about his succulent Chinese meal. The delivery is pompous, indignant and oddly formal, which is why the three second clip lands so well out of context. Listeners hear instant mock outrage, and the contrast between the serious arrest and the elegant phrasing makes almost any minor inconvenience feel hilariously dramatic.
