The One Where Rachel Smokes

Thursday, 8 April 1999

Rachel starts smoking to stay in the decisions her new boss makes on cigarette breaks, Joey ends up auditioning against Ben for the same soup commercial, and Phoebe buries Rachel's surprise party in cups.

What happens

• Carol and Ross tell the others that a casting director spotted Ben in the park and wants him to audition for a commercial.
• Rachel tells her new boss Kim that she does not smoke, and then learns that Kim and Nancy settled the day's decisions during their cigarette break without her.
• Monica turns up having planned Rachel's surprise party entirely on her own and leaves Phoebe in charge of nothing but cups and ice.
• Rachel takes a lit cigarette off a stranger and joins Kim and Nancy on the balcony, claiming she has smoked all along.
• At the callback the casting director pairs Joey with a different boy, so Joey is now competing directly against Ben.
• Joey pretends he will drop out, and when Ross accepts the offer, the two of them argue over whose child should step aside.
• Rachel talks Kim and Nancy into quitting together and throws their cigarettes and lighters into the bin.
• Rachel catches Kim and Nancy smoking again, Kim threatens to fire her if she smokes, and Nancy gets the Paris trip.
• Phoebe decorates the party with cup hats, cup garlands and three kinds of ice, and Rachel is surprised a month before her birthday.
• Ross tells Joey he ruined his audition because he cared more about Ben than the part, and admits that Ben did not get it either.