The One With The Fake Monica

"The One With The Fake Monica"
Season	1x21
Episode no.	21
Written by	Adam Chase Ira Ungerleider
Directed by	Gail Mancuso
Guest stars	Claudia Shear as Fake Monica Karla Tamburrelli as The Teacher Harry Shearer as Dr. Baldharar Philip Rayburn Smith as Actor Anthony Backman as Coffee Shop Patron (uncredited) Kevin Bright as Casting Director (uncredited) David Crane as Casting Director (uncredited) Marta Kauffman as Casting Director (uncredited) James Michael Tyler as Gunther (uncredited)
Original airdate	April 27, 1995
Episode List
← Previous	"The One With The Evil Orthodontist"
Next →	"The One With The Ick Factor"

"The One With The Fake Monica" is the twenty-first episode of the first season of Friends, which aired on April 27, 1995.

Plot

Monica's credit card is stolen, and along with Phoebe and Rachel, she decides to catch the thief. The thief turns out to be so charming and inspiring that instead of reporting her to the police, she hangs out with her, gatecrashing parties, auditioning for Broadway musicals and getting drunk. When the thief is arrested, however, Monica tells her everything, including who she really is, and confides in her how she doesn't want to go back to being who she was. The thief makes her realize that she can't change her personality.

When Marcel starts to hump everything in sight and in reach, Ross finds out that the monkey has reached sexual maturity. He submits several applications to zoo's, none of which are accepted. Just as he's on the verge to give up Marcel to an animal-fighting ring owner, Joey and Chandler bring news - Marcel has been accepted in San Diego. Ross prepares everything he needs, and shares a last moment with Marcel, who gives him a goodbye by humping his leg.

Joey enlists his friends to help him come up with a less ethnic-sounding stage name. Chandler jokingly comes up with Joseph Stalin, which Joey regards as good. Of course, this stage name does not get him far with producers and directors, who don't hesitate in pointing out to him that a Joseph Stalin already exists, and how he's far from being an actor. Not long after, he presents himself to a Romeo & Juliet audition for the role of Mercutio as Holdin' McGroin.

Cast and Crew

Main Cast

Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green
Courteney Cox - Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay
(Hairdresser Matt LeBlanc - Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer - Ross Geller

Supporting Cast

Claudia Shear - Fake Monica
Karla Tamburrelli - The Teacher
Harry Shearer - Dr. Baldharan
Anthony ( Copee shop patron)
Elle McPherson - Dancer

Trivia

• In the uncut DVD version of the episode, the opening scene is different. Monica is having lunch with her mother and asks her not to talk about her career, love life and that she is doing fine. Monica insists on paying for lunch and hands the waiter her credit card, who returns to say that it's been declined. Judy then gleefully pulls out her credit card to pay.
• This is the first episode with one of the main characters' names in the title.
• The casting directors at Joey's audition for the role of Mercutio in the closing scene are the three writers of the show - David Crane, Marta Kauffman and Kevin Bright.
• When Ross tells Joey and Chandler he has to give away Marcel, in the next scene the three of them are covering their eyes, ears and mouth, respectively, a reference to the Three Wise Monkeys of the Japanese popular culture.

Episode Navigation

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Preceded by "The One With The Evil Orthodontist"

"The One With The Fake Monica"

Followed by "The One With The Ick Factor"

1. "The Pilot"
2. "The One With The Sonogram At The End"
3. "The One With The Thumb"
4. "The One With George Stephanopoulos"
5. "The One With The East German Laundry Detergent"
6. "The One With The Butt"
7. "The One With The Blackout"
8. "The One Where Nana Dies Twice"
9. "The One Where Underdog Gets Away"
10. "The One With The Monkey"
11. "The One With Mrs. Bing"
12. "The One With The Dozen Lasagnas"
13. "The One With The Boobies"
14. "The One With The Candy Hearts"
15. "The One With The Stoned Guy"
16. "The One With Two Parts, Part 1"
17. "The One With Two Parts, Part 2"
18. "The One With All The Poker"
19. "The One Where The Monkey Gets Away"
20. "The One With The Evil Orthodontist"
21. "The One With The Fake Monica"
22. "The One With The Ick Factor"
23. "The One With The Birth"
24. "The One Where Rachel Finds Out"