The raw footage was missing Reason's voice-over explaining who the man was, or what the incident was about, and internet speculation attempted to resolve the mystery. Theories about the man's identity centered on Paul Charles Dozsa, a Hungarian chess player and notorious dine and dasher, [7] [8] [9] [10] but there were also serious doubts about this theory. Observers asked why the arrest was filmed from so many angles, why it was filmed at all and why the allegedly-Hungarian man did not sound Hungarian. Friends, family and acquaintances of Dozsa also stated that the man in the video was not Dozsa. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] Other theories included that the man was politician John Bartlett, the video was a skit from an unidentified television show, or that the man was a real dine and dasher named Gregory John Ziegler. [16]

Police surrounded the restaurant, corralled the waiting media (who had somehow gotten wind), and interrupted Karlson's lunch. Tyler Jenke (16 June 2019). "A succulent Australian mystery: Just who is the bloke in this iconic video?". The Brag . Retrieved 19 March 2020. Percival, Tom (12 June 2016). "Story Behind The 'Democracy Manifest' Guy Is Even Funnier Than His Video". UNILAD. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022 . Retrieved 22 March 2020. Wenger, Charles (8 November 2019). "The Succulent Enigma of Paul Dozsa". Level Up Chess . Retrieved 20 March 2020.a b c d Drevikovsky, Janek (8 March 2020). " 'This is democracy manifest': Mystery star of viral video found at last". Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 19 March 2020. a b Butler, Josh (5 March 2020). "The 'Democracy Manifest' Meme Guy May Not Be Dead, According To The Chats". 10 Daily. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020 . Retrieved 22 March 2020.

Neither man had set foot in a theatre, but McNeil's plays were already being performed across Australia. He felt that, with the success of his plays, he'd never need to resort to crime again. On radio and in the press, he would give didactic rants about the brutality of the justice system. Paul Chamberlin (3 November 1988). "Ex-Chef eats on the run again". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 23 March 2020.

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After encouragement from Karlson, McNeil wrote a play about cellmates who brewed grog. They put it on in prison, and Karlson played a leading role. Smiedt, David (9 March 2020). "Why It's Important To Keep Eating At Asian Restaurants". GQ Magazine. Newslifemedia Pty Ltd . Retrieved 19 March 2020. The Brisbane police who arrested him that day didn't know that Karlson had been a criminal and a serial prison escapee. He was also a part-time actor. There was no fight getting him out of the car. Nothing. It was all put on for the cameras." The drama behind the rant Stewart Perrie (12 April 2019). "Aussies All Made The Same Joke After Julian Assange Was Booted From Ecuadorian Embassy". Lad Bible . Retrieved 28 February 2020.