Dance Moms Recap: House of Pain

48 Comments

1. 1
   AshleyS
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 4:50 pm

   A Better Off Dead reference AND a Clueless reference? Is it my birthday? XD

2. 2
   Dani
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 5:08 pm

   I missed the “Better off Dead” reference? What was it? I DID get the Clueless reference though! LOL

   Ok, on lifetime it has some deleted scenes, or bonus scenes (whatever they call it); basically, some scenes that didn’t make it onto the show. What I found interesting, and makes sense why some of the moms were MORE upset about the DDD role was that, apparently, the casting call was for a 13- year old BLONDE to play the part. Because they were looking particularly for a “BLONDE” for the role, Brooke was not allowed to even try-out for the role- even though, obviously, she is the closest to 13 (she is 14, and the other girls run between 8-11). So, what pissed them off even more is that MADDIE– the only other BRUNETTE, aside from Brooke (who wasn’t allowed to even try-out), and who is only 9 years old, is the one that “GOT” the part (I personally do think it was already arranged ahead of time, which is fucked up to do that to the other girls and let them get their hopes up.. At least let them know this so they are not so upset, but I guess that would take away from the drama). Sooo, anyway, sorry for going on so long, but in summary, they wanted a 13 year old blonde dancer, and ended up with a 9 year old brunette, and didn’t even allow Brooke to audition, even though she most clearly resembled what the original casting call had been looking for..

   I always like to go to these bonus/deleted (whatever) scenes they have on lifetime the next day because sometimes it really clarifies a lot of what we may have missed on the episode.

   Abby is a total bitch for doing that to poor Chloe. I would love to have a sweet little daughter like Chloe. I’m sure if she had a bitchy bone in her body, we would have picked up on it by now. I think all the girls are awesome. Love em all. Very sweet, and supportive kids! Why would Abby try to hurt Chloe by saying things like that in front of her? I know it was to hurt Christi, but still…? WTF!? Seeing Chloe almost collapse from crying so hard just broke my heart and made my hatred of Abby solidify even more. Contract or not, get your kid out of there. Abby is NOT trying to do anything to help Chloe’s career- I sincerely believe that. I think she royally hates Christi and tries to hurt her by hurting her daughter. She does this with Kelly too, but maybe because Chloe and Maddie are so close as far as talent goes, it comes through more, plus, I do think she hates Christi the most by what I’ve heard her say in interviews..

   Whew.. Sorry for the long post!! I’ll shut up now.

3. 3
   Wednesday
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 6:05 pm

   I found it kind of suspicious that they happened to have a camera running right outside the room ready to film Chloe running out crying.

4. 4
   keebler elf
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 7:52 pm

   after the girls came back in from their solo awards brooke came into the room doing some jump twisty thing. i thought that was strange because she was in pain just from breathing

5. 5
   karyn
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 8:08 pm

   I noticed the same thing keebler elf. I actually had to rewind the DVR to make sure I saw it right.

6. 6
   Gwen
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 8:16 pm

   Tomorrow, at a fair about an hour away from where I live, Chloe will be performing a solo and she and Christi will be hosting a meet & greet after. Just my luck I’m out of time. Life is very unfair right now.

7. 7
   Gwen
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 8:17 pm

   *out of town

8. 8
   alice
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 9:02 pm

   i enjoy useing facebook…most of the girls have facebook and also the moms…you then get the behind story…like kathy from candy apple most times is with abby and company..lots of the yelling and abby being mean is fake…

9. 9
   Joey
   Posted August 10, 2012 at 9:27 pm

   When Christi called Abby a “virgin”, my slightly air head tween daughter turned to me and said with surprise, “She doesn’t eat meat?” and then added, “Oh, wait, that is a vegan.” Couldn’t help but laugh!

10. 10
    Pageant-grandma
    Posted August 10, 2012 at 10:29 pm

    Has anyone else seen the preview for ddd? Jabby is in it, too, and at least by the previews, it looks like she is in the same scenes as Maddie. Soooo… Why was she “surprised” that Maddie had to go? Wasn’t she there filming, too?

11. 11
    Gwen
    Posted August 10, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    @Pageant-grandma Abby probably did know, and had to go film too. This show edits things and scripts things for max drama.

    @Alice most of the moms and girls actually do not have Facebook. Just Melissa and Chloe (I think) have pages you can “like”.

12. 12
    April
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 4:57 am

    I had noticed that jump Brooke did too and forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me. I am starting to wonder if all the girls are actors and they are just as in on everything and acting too.

    I love the Clueless reference. I have been known to say that in similar situations myself because I am a geek like that.

13. 13
    Cantbelieveiwatch
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 6:08 am

    And in the last photo above, Paige is not only not wearing her boot, but her foot is in a sandal. When I broke my toe I couldn’t get around without my boot or, at least, a special ‘shoe’ I was fitted with for occasional times outside of the boot.

14. 14
    Cantbelieveiwatch
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 6:11 am

    Scratch that … can’t be sure (but when I watched that scene and Paige took off like a shot after Chloe, she wasn’t really hobbling)

15. 15
    pageantgurrl
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 6:16 am

    Why must Christi bring Chloe back to this horrid woman again and again? Do you know how much therapy is? Christi is almost just as bad as Abby because she allows her daughter to go back again and again. Kelly DOES KNOW who Anne Frank is. She isn’t under a rock. I think she said that for comedic effect on the show. Brooke needs to be out of dance for awhile. It is literally killing her. She NEEDS a break. I didn’t like Mackenzies solo outfit and Maddies solo was very boring.

16. 16
    Adelefig
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 8:00 am

    SnoopK8 you are hilariously witty!! This show upsets me too much to watch anymore but I truly loved this recap!

17. 17
    Melody
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 10:32 am

    I just can’t watch this show anymore. I love the girls and they are all incredibly talented, but the show is just o horrible to watch. The film it for viewers, they dramatize it for viewers. If we all just stopped watching, they wouldn’t film it anymore and those poor girls wouldn’t be verbally abused every day! (Well, at least not as much).

18. 18
    gun kata
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 11:02 am

    I didn’t see this, why did Jabby scream at Chloe? Only because of Christi? Scream at Christi then! Poor Chloe.

19. 19
    gun kata
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 11:04 am

    Everyone should have auditioned, but the DDD see the show they know about Brooke. Btw, I thought Brooke did record an audition? Did Jabby not send it?

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    sagittariuskim
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 11:18 am

    @gun kata Jabby didn’t scream at Chloe. She screamed at Christi and told her she was raising a sneak and said Chloe was a sneak.

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    ellemenop
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    “but we are the ones who should be sad because we are the ones missing the Anne Frank solo” — not gonna lie; i was dying to see what the hell that entailed, too.

    even though i feel bad for maddie because abby is constantly putting her in awkward situations, i think i feel even worse for mackenzie, constantly being forced to live in her sister’s overly glorified shadow.

    again, could anyone please clarify what the F abby was talking about regarding chloe being a sneak???

    “litigators everywhere rejoice” — and this is where i remind hubby that he’s a sucker for doing what he “loves,” having any sense of decency, etc., by practicing the area of law he does rather than filing frivolous cases. they just never learn.

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    ellemenop
    Posted August 11, 2012 at 8:54 pm

    @adele, now i will probably have to fb lurk for comments. i need a hobby.

23. 23
    CrazyDutchwoman
    Posted August 12, 2012 at 9:46 am

    Hi there. I had to quit watching this show mainly because I did not like how this show made Chloe the poor little girl who never get the big parts, and in that way made Maddie the mean girl who is always in favour. When I read comments (not here) where people slated Maddie and loved loved Chloe, I could not stand it and knew I had to quit. Felt sorry for Maddie.

    Plus it is awful to see how those mums keep on bringing their kids to Abby, while in the mean time constantly fighting each other and cursing while the kids are present.

    It is fun to read your blog. Very well written and funny, but i see it is all still the same lol. Nothing has changed.

24. 24
    Fishchikk
    Posted August 12, 2012 at 11:04 am

    As a mother of a daughter who does competition dance (which, by the way, I have grown to despise over the years – so glad this is my daughter’s last year to do it), I have to make a comment about having to “win” to get to nationals as Abby keeps insisting they must do. All one needs to go to nationals is basically a pulse, money, and a ride. The rules of almost all (if not every single one of them) competitions my daughter has ever attended state that in order to qualify for nationals, you must earn at least a “silver” on your routine. Well, a “silver” is the lowest award you can get. A group of dancers could go on stage, do jumping jacks, bad cartwheels, and fall down and be awarded a “silver.” Getting to nationals is really, really not that big a deal.

25. 25
    April
    Posted August 12, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    Fishchikk is right. As a matter of fact our biggest competition we did every year in Walt Disney World was a big National comp but there were not even any regionals. It was just enter, pay the money, show up and perform. Then the prestige was placing.

    It really is not even a huge deal to get first in your category unless there are a lot of entries in your category. Most of the time we were the only ones in our category because it was very specific like small group 16-18 year olds Jazz. The larger one we did was more broad with just PeeWee Junior and Senior so more people in your category that way.

    The prestige comes mostly in special awards and overall awards.

26. 26
    Escapee
    Posted August 12, 2012 at 7:43 pm

    I have a possible clue on the Cloe-sneak thing. Christy’s been twittering for a few weeks that Chloe would be teaching master dance classes. A coupla people asked if Chloe was allowed to do that, not being a certified dance instructed, and Christy twittered back that she’d have a dance instructed with her and Chloe herself would just be signing autographs. Well, Abby’s twitter now links to a photo (http://t.co/0oak41Eh) of Chloe and another ALDC student teaching a master class, to which Abby comments, “whoa she just screwed herself! What a sneak!”. So maybe that’s what Abby was talking about in the episode? That maybe Chloe is teaching these classes and isn’t supposed to (under her lifetime contract, ALDC contract or dance certification whatever rules)? I know in the ballroom dance world, where I’m from, they are very strict about amateurs not being allowed to teach. So maybe Abby’s saying Chloe shouldn’t be allowed to compete as an amateur now.

27. 27
    Escapee
    Posted August 12, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    Hmmmm. The master class whose photo Abby tweeted just happened on August 9. (http://www.facebook.com/events/166456863479344/). So Abby may be talking about some other alleged Chloe sneakiness in the last episode. Or maybe there was a row – partly captured in film this episode – about whether the upcoming master class would have Chloe instructing (no-no), or just dancing alongside (allowed).. The photo that Abby links to in her August 10 Twitter, and I link in my post above, is captioned “Chloe TEACHES a master class… “. If that was true, I can see Abby getting mad, but I think the caption is just exaggeration.

28. 28
    AshleyS
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 12:15 am

    I kinda figured the reason was the two missed days of class in the past few weeks. First was when Christi didn’t take Chloe to class after her doctor’s appointment (and then told the mom’s she took her to the movies) with really no mention that the doc advised her to not dance that day, so can’t make much of a guess there. Second when she sent her camping and waited until after she was gone to let anyone know. It’s not like we don’t already know that if Chloe asked in advance if she could do the one night (which was early in the week too) camping trip that she’d give her a hard time and then say it was fine. Hence ‘raising your kid to be a sneak.’ Still, it was way harsh as they showed it,

    I agree on the way Maddie and Chloe are showed. I feel way more pity for Maddie, honestly, because commenters elsewhere are absolutely vicious toward her, and she hasn’t done anything wrong! Both are good kids, strong dancers, are mature and have completely different strengths. I loved when someone here said that Chloe is more of a tv/movie dancer because to get the full effect you need to see her face clearly while Maddie is more of a stage dancer because she gets the emotions across with her body more than her face. This also would make sense why she tends to win over Chloe at competitions.

29. 29
    AshleyS
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 12:17 am

    ugh. *moms, not mom’s and “no mention *whether* the doc, not that

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    ellemenop
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 3:24 am

    yeah, maddie is definitely no good at expressing through her face — she always has the same expression, which is more vegas showgirl than anything, imo. i don’t understand why abby doesn’t tell her not to look so giddy when doing a dark number. she is only nine, though, maybe she’ll figure it out.

31. 31
    April
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 6:46 am

    I don’t see the big deal about Chloe student teaching which is what she would be doing if she is helping along with an older instructor. I started doing that at age 14. I was the helper and would help teach younger girls alongside other dance teachers or the dance studio owner. I went on to be more like Gianna over time and be the right hand of the studio owner coaching the junior teams. I still danced on the Senior competition team. It was not against the rules. I was not the head teacher. I was just assisting.

32. 32
    April
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 6:48 am

    and FYI most assisting involves doing stuff like starting the music or taking choreography notes or taking attendance or helping come up with choreography, or being a second eye to notice mistakes on the dancers that need to be corrected. It is not like you are the main teacher or doing something all super important. It helps and it has its place. That is all.

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    Dani
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 7:28 am

    Re: Drop Dead Diva:

    If they wanted to find someone who looked like “Deb” (the character that was killed, but who inhabits Jane’s body) they should have gone with Paige. Paige actually resembles her; whereas Maddie looks absolutely nothing at all like Deb did.. I think it must have been set up since they are both lifetime and they knew it would be a good storyline on Dance Moms since everyone would be pissed. Kelly said they wouldn’t even allow Brooke to audition because she’s a brunette, though the casting call was actually for a 13 YEAR OLD BLONDE. Brooke is the closest to 13. Then they go and pick Maddie who is not only a BRUNETTE, but is also only 9. As far as acting, I don’t think Maddie did that great as an actor, but it’s probably her first time. I think Paige or any of the other girls would have done just as well. They didn’t really show that much dance, so I think they could have gone with Paige (since she looks the most like Deb) in that part. I know Maddie is a better dancer than Paige, but since they didn’t show that much dancing, I think it would have been fine. If they wanted someone who could dance at least as well as Maddie, then they should have gone with Chloe, since at least she is Blonde, looks more like Deb than Maddie, is a wonderful dancer, and is a bit older than Maddie- not 13, but a year older than Maddie. Those were the things I was thinking as I watched. I think Holly was right, that they already knew Maddie had the spot before anyone even auditioned, and it was just set up for dramatic effect. I think that’s cruel to do that to those girls, and to the moms because they have to watch their girls being disappointed and I’m sure that just really hurts them to watch.
    Loading…

34. 34
    April
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    I think some girls have more acting experience or lessons than others. I know Maddie takes voice as well as acting lessons. She has had lots of various auditions and modeling gigs. Chloe has taken some acting lessons. Brooke does voice. Mackenzie does voice and possibly acting. So that also comes into play.

35. 35
    Dani
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 2:14 pm

    @April– Yeah, I realize that, but I don’t think with the amount of acting (or even how well she performed, which was pretty average- what I think ANY of them could do) for show would have made a difference. I think Paige, Chloe or Maddie would have done about the same in acting, because it was not impressive.. I mean, she did fine, but I think you could go outside and pick out 5 kids and they could do as well, so just basically saying I don’t think the part needed a great actress at all, and what we DID see her do as far as acting wasn’t anything impressive, as I said. I think any of those kids could have done at least as well and if they needed some direction in an area, then the director could have given it to them and it would have been fine.

    Paige looked the part, could have definitely acted at least as well as Maddie. The only thing is the dancing- though there wasn’t much and it wasn’t very difficult, but that’s the only area that maybe there could be an issue.. If there was an issue in the dancing department, then I think they should have cast Chloe, because she looks much more like the Deb character, could have at least acted as well as Maddie, and dances at minimum as well as Maddie, if not better (in my opinion). So, I DO think it was already her part before the other girls even had a chance. Wasn’t fair, as most things on that show, and mean to do that to the girls who I’m sure didn’t know it was set-up already.

36. 36
    Wednesday
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    You’re really not giving Maddie enough credit. Like you said she wasn’t great, but she was more than passable and for a guest spot where she probably had only a couple hours on set to learn her part and film it that’s fine. She was believable and didn’t detract from the show and that’s really all you want from a small spot like that. I’ve seen some really bad acting from kids that just makes you cringe and takes you out of the show or movie completely. It’s not nearly as easy as you are making it sound, especially for younger kids. And Maddie actually had to show emotion in this role, not just read lines convincingly. I seriously doubt you could get a good performance out of just any kid off the street, and you can’t just assume Paige or Chloe would have done as good a job. They very well might have, but they also could have been as bad as the kid from The Phantom Menace.

37. 37
    Classy Drunk
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    @dani….soooooooo I’m assuming you think Paige could have done the job huh

38. 38
    TurtleGirl93
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    OT, sorta, but…
    The woman who works next door to me has two college-aged daughters who teach dancing at a local studio. When they were younger (maybe 10 years ago) they were in a competion somewhere in Texas and Jabby Lee’s team(s?) was(were) also there. The ALM team didn’t place in any category and apparently ALM absolutely lost it backstage. Ballistic enough to make an impression on my work-neighbor who remembers it after all these years and countless other competitions. ALM yelled at her dancers and has not returned to that particular competion since.

39. 39
    TurtleGirl93
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    CompeTItion.
    Oy, I can spell. I swear.

40. 40
    Dani
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    I think Maddie did fine. Not saying she didn’t. I DO think that most likely Chloe or Paige could have done that part as well. That’s all I’m saying. BUT, the casting call asking for a blonde, not to mention older, doesn’t make sense to cast Maddie. If you look at the woman who was the original Deb, she resembles Paige the most, Chloe would be next- Maddie looks nothing at all like her. Even Abby said said last season in Hollywood that it’s about “looking the part” more than anything, and in this case it was obvious the Maddie did NOT look the part, at all. I do believe any 3 of the girls could have done about as well as Maddie did, but that’s not saying she didn’t do ok. She was fine, but I think all of them would have been just fine doing that part. Ok, maybe I shouldn’t have said that you could take 5 kids off the street, but I have been to enough elementary school plays to see what the “average” kid is capable of, and I think most kids could have done that part, especially with a director there telling them what to do and how to act, etc..

    I don’t necessarily think that Paige should have got the part.. I’m not sure if she could have done the dancing or not, but as far as looking the part, then yes, Paige looked the most like Deb. If Paige was capable of doing the dance, then I think she should have gotten the part (assuming it’s just out of these girls that auditioned of course.. I’m sure if they did a REAL casting call they could have found someone much better than ALL of them to play that part). If Paige couldn’t do the dancing because of the difficulty involved (though it wasn’t that difficult, but I know Paige is strongest at acro), THEN I think they should have gone with Chloe because she is a fantastic dancer, and I’m sure she could have acted the part just fine, AND she resembled the character Deb much, much more than Maddie.

    I’m not saying anything bad about Maddie. I think all these girls are lovely girls, and I just adore them. They are the reason I like to watch the show. I love how supportive and loving they are towards eachother, and hope it stays that way. I can see with all the blatant favoritism that it really could be a problem in the future with their friendships, and that is sad.. I hope it doesn’t have to be that way, but what Melissa and Abby are doing is pulling Maddie away from the other girls and that’s unfortunate..

    Okay, that’s just my opinion. I just wish things could be more fair and it bugs me when it’s not (though I should be used to it by now), and just wanted to vent about it a bit. Didn’t mean to offend anybody. I think they all could have done a great job, just think that Paige looked the most like the part is all I’m saying.. JMO

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    Classy Drunk
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    It’s all good Dani…I was just giving you shit because of your passion for Paige getting the part.

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    April
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 4:01 pm

    It is kinda good thing Paige didn’t get the part, because her foot was broke and then she would have lost it out to someone else right?

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    AshleyS
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 4:30 pm

    Personally, I think that the casting people probably made their decision based off the reading. Maddie did very well at her cold read and if Chloe or Paige were more nervous going into the read, I wouldn’t be surprised if that affected their read through. And if they did a bad read, well I would be surprised if they chose someone with a bad read to play the part just because they had the right look. This isn’t the same sort of acting job as a music video, so the right look I think was not the primary concern.

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    Chicken Lips
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    I just had a chance to watch the show and read the ‘cap, but I want you to be my new BFF after the Idiocracy reference, Snoop. Please – that would make this show even more better!

45. 45
    Wednesday
    Posted August 13, 2012 at 10:18 pm

    Dani, I wasn’t trying to call you out or anything. I don’t think you are bashing Maddie, I just know how tough acting can be, especially for kids. From the little we saw of their auditions Paige wasn’t convincing at all and Chloe didn’t really bring the right emotion. I know it isn’t much, but it’s really all we have to go on. Personally I’m not convinced they can act until I see it.

    I agree with you that Paige looks more like Deb, but I also thought that Maddie looked most like Deb’s mom, so that might have been something else they were looking at. I can’t imagine the blond hair being THAT big of a deal, since a lot of women dye their hair (even one of our favorite dance moms). That’s a simple enough explanation and I can’t imagine many people getting hung up on it. Besides age and hair color (at least according to the often unreliable moms), we don’t know what else they might have been looking for that Maddie may have had over the other girls.

    That being said, I think it could have been set up in some way, but I don’t really know enough about the productions of either show to say for sure. The kids seemed to think it was real, but maybe whoever set up this cross-promotion had Maddie in mind the whole time and the age/hair stuff was just thrown in to stir the drama pot. Or maybe the people on the DDD end wanted to pick who they thought was the girl to be in their show. We’ll probably never know for sure.

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    Gwen
    Posted August 14, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    I thought Abby’s bit on DDD was hilarious. “Some say that I’m the best in the business.” I don’t think anyone has ever said that… Other than maybe Melissa. “I motivate without intimidating.” Sure you do, that’s why your students are always running from the room crying. I loved the part where Jane shut her down.

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    Gwen
    Posted August 15, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Tweet from Christi: “to be perfectly clear: Chloe never taught a master class. She assisted an instructor. Just to clear up some rumors. #dancemoms”

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    Elle
    Posted August 16, 2012 at 1:36 am

    I completely agree about Paige. I said that as well. She looked like Deb the most. I mean we can say whatever we want abut the auditions but lets be real. Drop Dead Diva is a lifetime show. Dance Moms is a lifetime show. I have a hard time thinking that this audition had anything to do with who was the best for the part (Which I beleive would just be a casting call in the area where the filming took place and not two specific studios that are connected to Lifetime.) it was an audition out of lifetimes stables. So I don’t know that I beleive that the audition was taken just from the auditions they filmed but rather with allllllllllll they know about the girls.

    I do think Paige would have been the clear choice for looks. And yes Chloe second if they didn’t think Paige could handle the dancing…but I think that Paige holds her own in her dances. They just aren’t the exact same style as would be ideal for Maddie or Chloe or Nia. It’s whatever at this point but yea I completely agree. Paige looks like a young Deb heaps and heaps more than any of the other girls.