The One with the Rumor

"The One with the Rumor" is the ninth episode of the eighth season of the American television situation comedy Friends, which aired on NBC on November 22, 2001. It continues the series' annual Thanksgiving-themed episode tradition, and guest-stars cast member Jennifer Aniston's then-husband Brad Pitt in the uncredited role of Will Colbert, who reveals that, fueled solely by his hatred of Rachel Green (Aniston), he and Ross (David Schwimmer) were part of an "I hate Rachel Green" club in high school and spread a rumor that Rachel was a hermaphrodite. The episode was directed by Gary Halvorson and written by Shana Goldberg-Meehan. It was nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, but was criticized as "insulting" by a national intersex education group. Plot Monica invites an old school friend of hers and Ross' for Thanksgiving, Will Colbert (Brad Pitt). However, Will reacts very badly when learning that Rachel, who he hated in high school because of her bullying him, will be joining them for dinner. Rachel is immediately attracted to Will, unable to recognize him, but Will is openly hostile and this culminates in his proud announcement that he and Ross founded the "I Hate Rachel" club in high school and initiated a rumor that she was a hermaphrodite, which was spread throughout their entire high school. Rachel feels betrayed by Ross until Monica reminds her that she started a rumor of her own that Ross made out with the school's 50-year-old librarian, though a horrified Ross confirms it as true. Rachel demands that Ross recant the rumor by calling everyone from school, but Monica puts them both in their place by reminding them that Rachel's rumor put Ross on the social radar, that Ross and Will's rumor had no effect whatsoever on Rachel's queen bee status and that they have too much important history to fixate on the past. They agree to be civil and reveal to Will that they are now having a baby together. Will is completely dumbfounded by this revelation but takes pleasure in the fact that Ross got Rachel pregnant but is not going to marry her. He tries to give Ross a high-five to celebrate, but when Ross refuses, Phoebe, who has been crushing on Will the entire evening, takes the opportunity to hug him. Because Phoebe is a vegetarian, Chandler hates Thanksgiving cuisine, Rachel has an aversion to poultry and Will is on a diet, they will not be eating turkey.