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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 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?
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.
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.