by Anders, originally posted on the Al Bundy.net forum: I met David at the Scandinavian Sci-fi, Game & Film Convention on Saturday, March 31st (2012) in Gothenburg, Sweden. As soon as I entered the convention hall, I walked over to where the stars were signing autographs. It was a strange feeling seeing David sitting in his chair not that far from me. I had watched him for countless of hours during the span of over 20 years by now. I'd met a lot of celebrities before but this one was going to be something special. I decided to wait until there wasn't much of a line to him before I went up with my things, because I wanted to get as much talking time with him as possible without making a lot of people behind me wait. There was one guy in front of me, so while waiting my turn I chose two photographs I liked, paid the money for my three autographs and told his assistant my name (which he'd write down on a paper so David could add a dedication to his autographs.) All of a sudden it was my turn. I went up to him, put my Big Bundy Box set down and told him what a big fan I was. He thanked me and we shook hands. Have you ever met David? Please let us know! back
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Then he took a look at the Big Bundy Box set and surprised me by saying he'd never seen it before. I was like
"But you recorded an interview especially for this set!" He didn't remember that and asked who else was featured
in the special features, I told him that it was him and Katey Sagal. He seemed to dig it and asked if it was
German, I said it was. I told him that my jacket was actually screen-worn on the show, he said "Oh really? Who
wore it?" I told him I wasn't sure but that I suspect it was used in the episode where Al's team meets the team
with Bubba Smith on it (didn't remember the name at the moment, then I remembered it was season nine's Dud Bowl)
he replied "Oh yeah, I remember that episode." I then told him I was still so pissed over not having an eBay
account back when he was selling off some of his MWC stuff, like the blow-up doll and signed script. He said
"Yeah that stuff is long gone." I asked him if he made a lot of money on them, but he didn't remember since it
was so long ago.
I looked at his table and saw a Grandmaster B figure, made by ClassicTVToys.Com and also noticed he had
Grandmaster B t-shirts. I asked if he was selling the figure and he told me yes, that it was the last one left.
I asked his assistant what the figure and t-shirt cost and then said "I'll take 'em", to which David jokingly
said "He's gonna clean us out!" I replied by saying "I told you I was a big fan!" He then reached down under the
table and said that since I'm such a big fan of his, I'd get two CD's from a rapper on his record label! I asked
if it was the new, would-be star (Patience Price) he'd been talking about on the radio show the day before, he
said it indeed was him.
Then he started signing the new stuff I bought from him.
While he was signing these things, I asked him if he knew how long the new reunion show would be. He told me
that it was just a sit-down chat with the cast, in case I was under the impression that it was them playing the
Bundy's again. He said that it would be airing on April 22nd in the US but wasn't sure when/if it would air in
Sweden. I said that's ok, I'll just download it. He laughed and jokingly asked if he had arrived to Dowload
Country, I reckon several people before me had asked about the reunion or something. I told him that I would
download it because it most likely won't ever air in Sweden. He then gave me a tip about a new show he's in that
starts airing in April as well. The show is called Avatar: The Legend of Korra and he told me I could download
that as well. I replied saying that that show would probably air in Sweden at one point or another.
When we were about to wrap it all up, I asked him if my friend could take a picture of him holding up the now
signed Big Bundy Box set, he was totally okay with that, picked it up and posed for the picture, which came out
great. Out out of the 15 pictures taken during our meeting, it's definitely my favorite (other than the pic with
the two of us which a professional photographer took later.)
I thanked him for his time and we shook hands again and said our goodbyes. When I was putting my autographed
pictures in the book I brought along with me for safekeeping, I noticed something - he had forgotten to sign one
of the pictures! I went up to him again, but a guy with a German accent was speaking with him. When he left I
told him he forgot to sign the picture, "Hilarious!" he said as he started signing it for me. I asked him if the
guy before me was German and that the show is huge over there and in places like Austria, he agreed but said he
wasn't sure where he was from. He mentioned that he's "Over there all the time." I told him I'd heard that his
manager was Austrian and he commented that his agent "Here" (in Europe) is from Austria, so he has one for his
European gigs and one for the states, makes sense. I thanked him for the second time and was on my way again.
Here are the autographs I got from him:
This is the one he forgot to sign:
The first two are signed "Anders, your Pal David Faustino 'Bud.'" The third one has his signature and "Bud
Bundy" added to it. The fourth has his signature and "Grandmaster B" beneath it. Finally, on the fifth it says
"Anders, your 'Bud' David Faustino, 'Grandmaster B.'"
About an hour and a half later, it was time for our photoshoot. When it was my turn, I stepped in the booth
where he and the photographer was. He immediately said "Hey, I remember that jacket!" We shook hands again and
then I went up beside him, we put our arms on each other's shoulder and before the photographer took the photo
he said "Polk High!" in that school-spirit kind of way and pointed at the P on my jacket! I thanked him again
and left. A few hours later the photos were delivered and I picked mine up. I was very happy with it.
That picture along with the autographs and just the memory of meeting David "Bud Bundy" Faustino will remain
with me my whole life. It was the best day I've ever had as a fan of Married... With Children. A dream come
true, really. I hope to meet him again at some other point, as I've got more stuff I'd like to get signed by
him. If any of you ever has the chance to meet him - take it! He's a great guy. Very nice and very funny. He
takes his time with the fans and you can tell he really embraces the status he's earned by playing the character
of Bud Bundy.
I may have forgotten a few small details as I'm writing this, but I made it as detailed as I possibly could and
I really hope you've enjoyed the report on my meeting with David Faustino. I'll leave you with the scans of my
two autographed photos:
