The One With The Mugging

"The One With The Mugging"
Season	9x15
Episode no.	209
Written by	Peter Tibbais
Directed by	Gary Halvorson
Guest stars	Jeff Goldblum - Leonard Hayes Teck Holmes - Jordan Kyle Gass - Lowell Suzanne Ford - Female Producer Michelle Anne Johnson - Casting Director Phill Lewis - Steve
Original airdate	February 13, 2003
Episode List
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"The One With The Mugging" is the fifteenth episode of the ninth season of Friends, which aired on NBC on February 13, 2003.

Plot

Joey is stoked to get an audition for a stage play directed by the legendary Leonard Hayes, played by Jeff Goldblum, who is also the lead in the play. Joey fails to impress Leonard with his flat audition and is about to get the boot, when one of the producers intervenes. The producer thinks Joey is "hot" and tries to convince Leonard to give Joey another chance. Leonard capitulates, and gives Joey some advice for his return audition. "... you're in your head, you're thinking too much." "Don't learn the words, let the words learn you." "...don't be afraid to explore the vertical."

Joey returns later that evening to audition again, even though has to relieve himself badly. Leonard's assistant declines to let Joey pee, so Joey gives a jumpy audition Leonard loves, (not knowing he Joey has a full bladder) and Joey earns a chance to come perform in front of the plays backers.

Figuring having to pee "makes (him) a really good actor" Joey drinks everything he can find before heading to his final audition, which works. With Joey once again needing to pee he gives another fidgety performance, Joey gets the part, but as he tries runs for the restroom, Leonard stops him to congratulate him and hugs him as he tells him "he can "relax" now, then pats his back strongly. After this Joey loses control of his bladder and wets his pants while Leonard Hayes is hugging him. Leonard then feels something wet then backs up to find Joey peeing his pants as the scene ends.

Meanwhile, When a robber who just took Ross's wallet at gunpoint is recognized by Phoebe as her street friend Lowell, Ross learns that Phoebe used to mug people when she lived on the street. An indignant Ross returns to the coffee house and informs Monica about Phoebe's previous occupation as a mugger. Monica recalls that Ross was mugged as a kid by a huge guy outside St. Mark's Comics, and that the mugger stole his backpack which had all "the original artwork for his own comic book, "Science Boy".

Ross leaves, and Phoebe, memories recalled by Ross's story, admits to Monica that she mugged Ross (he was lying when he claimed a "huge guy" mugged him, embarrassed by the fact that he got mugged by a girl). Phoebe confronts Ross to apologize for mugging him and Ross gets upset. Later, Phoebe brings Ross a box labelled "Crap from the street" in which she kept his comic, "Science Boy" for all the years since she mugged him. Appeased by the return of his long lost comic, Ross thanks Phoebe and the two read over "Science Boy".

Chandler gets and aces his own audition, for an unpaid intern job as writer in a publicity firm, where he is considered the old dude, but proves wit transcends generations by elaborating the only bright idea for a product which rather appeals to childish Joey, sneakers on roller blade wheels.

The episode ends with Monica revealing to Ross that she's told "everyone they know" that he was mugged by a girl instead of a huge guy, like he claimed he was.

Cast and Crew

Main Cast

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

Supporting Cast

Jeff Goldblum - Leonard Hayes
Teck Holmes - Jordan
Kyle Gass - Lowell
Suzanne Ford - Female Producer
Michelle Anne Johnson - Casting Director
Phill Lewis - Steve

Crew

Directed By:
Gary Halvorson

Written By:
Peter Tibbais

Trivia

General

• This episode was taped on December 13th, 2002, two months before it aired on February 13th, 2003.
• Lowell is played by Kyle Gass from the band Tenacious D.
• Monica points out that Ross was not the originator of the "Got Milk?" advertisement. "Got Milk?" is an American advertising campaign that was created in 1993. The ads feature famous actors and athletes drinking and promoting milk with a "milk mustache". Hundreds of ads have been made over the years, including one by Lisa Kudrow.
• When Rachel tells Chandler that she's not allowed to talk to Ralph Lauren, she is probably referring to the time when she started the rumor that "someone" made out with him in the copying room in "The One With Ross's Teeth" (S6E8).
• It is revealed that Phoebe and Ross met each other before Chandler, as Ross met Chandler years later in College and Phoebe met him when she was living with Monica. Although it is not revealed throughout the series when exactly they meet for the first time.
• When Chandler arrives at the office and meets the interns, he mentions Bob Hope and the USO. Bob Hope was a comedian, athlete and actor known for his 60 year career in the entertainment field and his involvement with the USO. The USO or United Service Organization is a non profit organization that provides troops and their families with programs, services and live entertainment tours for those at home and serving overseas, which Bob Hope hosted numerous times.
• When Joey is at his audition, he tells Leonard Hayes he could read his lines in a Southern accent and really does it in a Jamaican accent. This is due to the fact he took classes on how to do a Southern accent that Chandler had paid for but it came out Jamaican due to the instructor. This is revealed in "The One Where Rachel Is Late" (S8E22).
• Rachel is only appears in two scenes in this episode.

Goofs

• When Joey goes into Monica's fridge for a bunch of drinks for his audition he has a variety of drinks, including juice. When the camera goes back to him, he has a completely different set of drink
• Phoebe and Ross get mugged at night, but when they go to Central Perk just afterwards, you can see sunlight in the background.
• When Phoebe shows Ross the "Crap From the Street" box in Central Perk, the woman in a beige shirt is shown entering and sitting down twice.
• Joey has his first audition in the morning and they agree to give him a second chance that afternoon. The next scene, where Phoebe and Ross are mugged, is at night. Then in the following scene, Joey enters Monica's apartment and announces that he is auditioning again that afternoon.
• When Chandler, Rachel and Monica are discussing the sneakers, Rachel is holding a water bottle. in the next far shot, it is on the table without a cap.
• At the beginning when Joey is in Monica's apartment eating bacon, you see Joey reach for the bacon from the front, then in the next shot (side on) you see Joey reach for the bacon again.
• When Rachel is asking Joey what he's doing with all the liquid, her drink changes places depending on the shots.
• When Ross and Phoebe are mugged Ross tells Phoebe "I knew you'd be the death of me, Phoebe Buffay!" but the mugger doesn't recognize her name, not realizing it's her until she recognizes him.

Episode Navigation

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Preceded by "The One With The Blind Dates"

Series Nine Episodes

Followed by "The One With The Boob Job"

<< Season 8		Season 9					Season 10 >>
#01	"The One Where No One Proposes"		#09	"The One With Rachel's Phone Number"		#17	"The One With The Memorial Service"
#02	"The One Where Emma Cries"		#10	"The One With Christmas In Tulsa"		#18	"The One With The Lottery"
#03	"The One With The Pediatrician"		#11	"The One Where Rachel Goes Back To Work"		#19	"The One With Rachel's Dream"
#04	"The One With The Sharks"		#12	"The One With Phoebe's Rats"		#20	"The One With The Soap Opera Party"
#05	"The One With Phoebe's Birthday Dinner"		#13	"The One Where Monica Sings"		#21	"The One With The Fertility Test"
#06	"The One With The Male Nanny"		#14	"The One With The Blind Dates"		#22	"The One With The Donor"
#07	"The One With Ross' Inappropriate Song"		#15	"The One With The Mugging"		#23	"The One In Barbados, Part 1"
#08	"The One With Rachel's Other Sister"		#16	"The One With The Boob Job"		#24	"The One In Barbados, Part 2"