The One With Phoebe's Husband

Thursday, 12 October 1995

Phoebe's husband Duncan turns up asking for a divorce and reveals he is straight, while Rachel, unable to stomach Ross and Julie together, first talks Ross out of sleeping with Julie and then talks him back into it.

What happens

• A stranger knocks at Rachel's door, leaves flowers and asks her to tell Phoebe that her husband came by.
• Phoebe explains that she married Duncan, a gay Canadian dancer, so he could stay in the country, and Monica insists Phoebe was in love with him at the time.
• Monica retaliates for an exposed secret by telling everyone about Chandler's third nipple, and Chandler responds by revealing that Joey once appeared in a pornographic film as a repairman.
• Phoebe dresses up to watch Duncan skate at the Garden and tells Monica she is going in order to put her old feelings behind her.
• Ross admits to Rachel that he and Julie have not slept together, and Rachel encourages him to hold off indefinitely.
• Ross thanks Rachel but tells her he took Joey's opposite advice and plans to sleep with Julie that night.
• Duncan asks Phoebe for a divorce and tells her he is straight and marrying a woman named Debra.
• Rachel stalls the evening by demanding that Julie tell the group her entire life story, starting with her childhood.
• Phoebe signs the divorce papers, stops herself from asking Duncan whether she could have been the one, and parts from him warmly.
• Rachel reverses her advice and describes to Ross exactly how she would want to be kissed, Ross goes back inside to Julie, and by morning he reports it happened twice.