[jQuery] .click() issue

Hello everyone!
Could someone please explain me how could this be??
Works:
$(".flag").hide();
Doesn't work (wont alert):
$(".flag").click(function (){
alert("hello");
});
WORKS:
$(".flag").click(function (){
alert("hello");
}).click();
It seems like the browser just doesn't see the click event! Weird..
Could some one help me please??
Thanks, Leon.