Yes, you read that right. AndyLouis asked me to when I was going to do a Q&A a year and a half ago or so in some random thread. I first researched what "Q&A" meant and then realized it was a great opportunity. I had not really been in the DickFuld character yet and I truly never thought anyone would take it seriously. If you have read a few of my posts, you would instantly realize one of two things: 1) Someone would only write this kind of thing anonymously or 2) they were batshit insane.
Then, I posted "From Non-Target to BB CEO: My Story".
Wow, was I wrong. A surprising number of people believed I was the actual Richard S. Fuld.
Over the course of the next year, I received death threats, that I would be reported to the FBI, numerous business plans, questions asking for advice on the sale of family businesses, in addition to random questions of job advice and resume reviews.
To be fair, I have probably been able to give out more honest advice as a fake real person than I could as a random anonymous person.
What is funny about this is that I am certain that I will receive numerous PMs that still believe that I actually am the real Dick Fuld and am now just pretending not to be. To be 100% clear, I am not Actually Dick Fuld.
PS -- Do not go out and drink a 1.75L bottle of Bombay Sapphire everyday hoping that you will also turn out to be the CEO of a BB. It won't help.
I'm shattered. Please for the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster do not tell me Santa Claus isn't real. I won't recover. But who else would have left me the official Red Ryder Carbine Action Two Hundred Shot Range Model Air Rifle? Only Santa can do that.
So if I'm hearing you correctly, you're saying I should just drink a 750 of Sapphire if I want to be the CEO? I could see how an extra liter per day could push you over the edge.
PS- the death threats are awesome.
To be fair, you should drink 2.0L, otherwise you might top out at COO or equivalent.
How did you spend the New Year ?
What is your actual background? Were you at any point a banker? What are you doing now?
But, please, no more death threats. Or business plans.
What's the occasion? Why have you decided to come out of character?
do tell, would love to hear the business plans?
and how creative were the death threats?
Would have been a lot stranger if someone actually killed Dick Fuld because you pissed them off online
can you share with us the best/funniest death threat?
People really seem to be taking their online alter-egos seriously. lol
I remember when this shtick was funny. Good times.
Which is a damn shame
Death threats? What the fuck?
Dick if you were a 20-something today, would you still go into finance ?
I thought everyone knew you were John Thain pretending to be Dick Fuld, pretty common knowledge imho
well.. I for one am aghast!! If I can't rely on anonymous internet boards for authenticity then what is point of it all? Lets also pretend that being a Certified User means nothing as well.. oh I cant contain my anguish!! Why God why?!?!?
Didn't you talk about (in character of course) how you wanted to kill yourself after the financial crisis and ensuing bankruptcy of Lehman? You really tried to sell it in the early days, props.
Did you ever give any thought to starting your own company when you were in your 20s? Also, what motivated you to grind through the monotonous work at the beginning of your career?
For all you know, I did start a company in my twenties and I never did anything monotonous before. I don't actually plan on doing a tell all on my life story.
I kind of figured as much.
That said, it doesn't make your posts any less stellar. Your advice is different from the WSO consensus in all the right ways that you are very obviously someone who has been around the block a few times. There's a lot of specific things you've picked at that my experienced network contacts have told me about.....most notably regarding things like the "BB or bust" mentality, the "nothing other than Ivy league will work" idea, or the idea that the only way to get to PE is by being an analyst at Goldman/JP.
So basically, if you had turned out to be him it wouldn't matter much to me: you're very obviously a senior level banker who is blunt enough that their answers are actually useful.
Edit: you're not the only one who gets death threats. The most hilarious one was when I got someone who sent me over 150PM's insisting that I was their ex boyfriend....and then created two more accounts to do so as I blocked them.
Thank you
.....and sorry for creating all of those fake accounts pretending to be your ex-girlfriend.
or that other shoe companies existed besides Allen Edmonds.
Lmao I got like 100 PMs 2 weeks ago from some asshole who made like 5 different accounts. He would say stuff like "You are so fucked up!" Maybe I'll post screenshots on a new thread soon.
Now, serious question with a real dilemma:
How realistically could I lateral after an internship with the M&A group at a mid-level mid market bank(best group at said bank, and I'm specific for a reason) to a strong sub-BB firm (e.g. Wells Fargo, Guggenheim, BoA regional offices) after that experience What about moving to a less competitive group in NYC? Or after working at said firm for six months and trying to lateral after the December bonus season? Let's assume that I have moderately good contacts at all of the firms mentioned.
One way to find out: Start making some calls.
Yes, that was misread. I'm asking what the general rule of thumb is from moving from a middling tier, mid-market, investment banking summer associate position to lower BB(think firms like Barclays, Suisse, RBC, Wells) full time....assuming that the original position is at an M&A group or the banks top coverage group.
It is now revealed that dick fuld is norm McDonald
ITT: User DickFuld confirmed to be Erin Callan
All those times I ran into the Real Dick Fuld, made references to posts made by Not Real Dick Fuld, then Real Dick Fuld gave me a wtf? look... it all makes sense now.
Do explain. It would bring closure to us all lol.
For someone who posts on WSO as a "fake" person, you do give good advice. +SB
so should I short bombay sapphire now?
Seriously, though, will you ever discuss your real background?
Did you go to a target school for imitating people? What advice would you give to beginners for how to pick someone to pretend to be? How to make it realistic?
He's actually Hank Paulson.
Does this mean you're quitting/retiring the DickFuld character on WSO? What's the next steps for you now? Vikram Pandit or John Mack?
Would definitely like to see a David Ackman character. Talk endlessly about Herbalife
Mr. Fuld, thanks for taking the time to host this AMA for us. It is really appreciated you would spend your time helping out college kids.
This is actually a two part question: I was wondering, 1) what's it like being an investment banker and 2) would you write me a recommendation?
Can you not fucking read? It's not the real Dick Fuld.
i can do fabrice tour
So, do you genuinely hate GS?
Actually on second thought...this guy does know way too much about what happened at Lehman. I may have an idea who he is and if I'm right that explains why he knows as much as he does about non target hiring.
I decided to remove this.
Here is a picture of the real dick fuld for reference http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/richard-fuld-former-chairman-and-ch…
There's that Dickfuld humor we all know and love so much! Good one DF! Just PMed you about a potential business opportunity and my nephews resume if you could get him into a BB summer internship. Thanks!
fake Dick Fuld, I wanna be you when I grow up. Is that weird?
Any tips on how to be a fake person ? (please no wear makeup or a wig things)
Nevermind, I was just being a dick.
By chance were some of those from the multi-colored pony and her/his alternate personalities? Pretty similar to things a few of us used to get in batches of 50 per day.
.
I think the most convincing part was the hatred for Paulson - that was elegant, pure... from the heart. Also impressed by the amount of name dropping at Lehman when people were calling you out. And then your rant about not knowing anyone in compliance / tech or whatever
Summary: I enjoyed a lot
Just because I'm not Dick Fuld doesn't mean that was faked. The people in compliance and technology are nameless/faceless people.
Who is the better fake Dick Fuld: you or James Woods?
he just tagged rufiolove on the thread. DickFuld is that your real identity?
DickFuld I still can't believe this but it was a great run. I hope you continue to use WSO but it doesn't sound likely now. I just thought that you gave so much detail about lehman that was more than likely you. Not to mention you would also get pissed off when someone would ask if you were real. Then when I found out you were a Certified User I thought you were indeed him. Did you at least used to work at lehman bros? Agree with Richard S. Fuld being a great guy to create a pseudo account. After watching videos of him on youtube you did a great job of acting like a angry bitter ex-CEO. The non-target to bb ceo will continue to be the best thread ever lol.
people are fucking retarded ... like those stupid fucks falling for go fund me accounts telling sob stories of being homeless and ass raped or whatever the fuck asking for money when in reality its an unemployed 30 something lazy ass hat who still lives in their parents basement and wants money for a new TV and game console ... the idiots who donate money to those things are the same breed as those who take things too seriously on this site and think that DickFuld is the real man (maybe he is but the odds aint so good). fuckers.
But you've always been my role model since I decided to go for investment banking. Who am I gonna look up to? My life is seriously ruined. There was this interview asking who's my favorite wall street CEO. I replied Dick Fuld, because he goes to WSO. Maybe that's why I didn't get the job.
Me you fucking asshole.
first david bowie, now this...
All of a sudden everyone on WSO denies they believed. I call bullshit. 95% of us thought it was really him. Hey I'm happy to admit it. I too was deceived. WSO will never be the same again.
I just want to say I've named my dog Dick Fuld because of you. Do I get weird looks in the dog park? Yes, but I know anyone who laughs when I yell at my dog in public "BAD DICK FULD, BAD" is probably someone in the financial industry and worth talking to.
........... People thought he was really Dick Fuld?
Then again he did respond to my barrage of "Ay bby, u want sum fuk?" PMS so now im confused :(
I can see it now, WSO traffic drops by 50% from this point forward.
Does this mean you can be friends with Hank Paulson now?
Who's your favorite character or person in regards to the Big Short movie/event. Personally thought the guy Brad Pitt played was the best.
I haven't seen it. If someone played Dick Fuld, probably him.
who's got a bigger schmeckle you, real Dick Fuld or James Woods? i ask because it's relevant to BSD status.
Of course, I wouldn't know for sure. The alternate is that you could go suck both of them off and tell us which one hit your throat deeper.
Are you semi-retired in real life when you are not assuming Dick's character? I see your post quite often.
Hi Dick, While some of the other folks are feeling cheated to finally realize this is your ultra-ego they failed to appreciate your honesty and brutal advise about how the real world in IB works. Anyways I wanted to ask you a couple of things: 1- What is your opinion about the changing landscape of S&T within BB's. 2- How does one move internally without disrupting the current team environment? I like my team and I have learned the product pretty well but I don't like the product. I believe that my strengths could be better leveraged within another product group that I have connected really well with. Thoughts?
I've been on this site over a year now, and I was bragging to my friends that Dick Fuld posts on here and is actually pretty funny. You had me going DickFuld, good on you.
Here's a question that only Dick Fuld would know the correct answer to:
A young analyst graduates from university, having received an undergraduate finance degree from University of State, Named College of Business. On this analyst's LinkedIn profile, should he/she list:
University of State at Specific Location (ie UNC Chapel Hill, UT Austin, etc.)
or
University of State - Named College of Business (ie UT Austin - McCombs, UNC Chapel Hill - Kenny Flag)
Both conventions are used, but which one is correct?
Does it really matter? Try spending your time and brain power thinking about stuff that may actually make a difference in your job search.
You're attracting a lot of MS now LOL.
I have this question, may not be relevant, but you give an informed advice(even if you're not the real Dick) and I'd like to ask anyway-if that's okay? Do you think MSRE from Columbia/Cornell is going to help break into REPE?
It completely depends on your background. Come over to the "I got Bs instead" group with some more info and people can help.
//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/real-estate-finance-investing-careers
Goddamnit finally people will listen to all of my protestations that this isn't the real DF and that it's not nice to troll college students.
But congrats DF.
DickFuld of all the drinks in the world..... Why Bombay Sapphire?
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