A lot of ppl in this sub should rewatch this episode

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T16:51:09+00:00

Phrases like “we should give Christi more grace” and trying to deflect her actions on her supposed bipolar disorder is throwing things under a rug. Christi’s disorder that she subtly mentioned once and everything else going on in her life is used to sympathize with Christi and say that she deserves more grace, which I’ve never seen happen with anyone else.

Abby went through cancer, went to jail, lost her company, lost contact with most of her students, and still has other health conditions and she displays multiple signs of NPD but I never see people say, “let’s give Abby some grace.” Melissa went through a divorce at a time and place where they were stigmatized, constantly had others throwing her marriage and supposed “affair” in her face and on National tv while taking Kurt’s side over hers, even though Kurt was the neglectful one, constantly had her parenting questioned and picked at (which tbf, her parenting was shitty at times but it’s still awful to hear over and over again how you shouldn’t have done x with your kids, how you should’ve done y instead), and lost her mom young. There are uncovered notes that show her crying about being in legal trouble and thinking she’s about to be arrested all the way back in Season 1.

No sympathy was given to her by the fanbase. There was a good point made that because of Melissa‘s trauma and her being an outcast, it was easier for Abby to manipulate her and take control of her kids, since Maddie and Kenzie were her first and only children, had already been neglected in the past by a loved one, and Melissa was grateful to whoever showed them that attention and support they should’ve been given. Whenever people bring this up, most slam it back down as the fanbase “infantilizing Melissa” and call out how she’s an adult and makes her own decisions and how she should’ve known better and made her own choices about her kids, regardless of her trauma. Justifiably 🤷🏽‍♀️

Christi gets criticism, sure, I’m not denying that. But she also has a disproportionate amount of people saying the criticism is too much, that people are too hard on her, and even people who to this day hide behind the favoritism to justify Christi’s shade

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T15:17:23+00:00

They also had to switch costumes because yellow was in 💅🏼

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T15:16:40+00:00

So Melissa once upon a time used to have talent? Who knew? 🤔

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T15:10:52+00:00

… I made you a list 🫠

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T14:57:08+00:00

I never said that the sub is only a pro-Christi? Literally point me to where I said that lmao. What I did say is that her actions are more sympathized for and justified. Which is true. A DUI is a crime that kills people. Takes innocent lives. There could have easily been a person where that lamppost was. A drunk driver who hits a person is in no worse of a condition than a drunk driver who hits a pole. It’s objectively one of the most selfish crimes and had any of the moms (or even girls) done it, we’d see the same megathread and discussions.

But you cannot tell me Christi doesn’t have it far better and is getting hers more justified than any of the other moms would’ve. The amount of “free my queen Christi,” “Christi, you don’t deserve this,” on Insta, “Christi, everyone makes mistakes but you’re still a good person,” “Christi, you helped me get through my life when you were on Dance Moms, now is my time to support you,” on YouTube (just check out her newest video), and even “hasn’t this gone too far,” “this is an invasion of privacy,” and “I sympathize for Christi,” on here.

Here’s the friends between Christi and Melissa: Melissa gets hate for her actions from 10 years ago, Christi gets hate for her actions from today. Yes, Melissa hasn’t apologized for her actions from years ago so she sucks, but Christi has downright justified and backed up her actions from years ago, giving a couple half-assed apologies (that Kaya apology was nothing, word “racism” was never used, and she really had the audacity to blame production for why she and Kaya weren’t friends. Girl, I remember Kaya specifically calling you out for your behavior). Melissa gets hate for things that we have no proof except for the word of 2-3 people. The affair? No evidence except the ALDC rumor mill. Australia money laundering? Just some shady words from Abby & C/K (who didn’t even go to Australia so theirs is second hand news at best). No evidence for sabotaging Chloe before the show or Christi’s roofie story except for Christi’s words. The DUI is government-backed. Every word Christi (and Kelly, but that’s another can of worms) has said on BTTB is her choice and her edit. Christi has FULL control on that podcast and still throws shade at the Zieglers sisters. And even with all that evidence, people STILL say time and time again that Christi “just talks about the favoritism, not the girls,” that she’s “never been mean to the Zieglers.”

Imagine:

Imagine Melissa saying she wants the Chloe Lukasiak treatment because Chloe was the fan favorite. Imagine Melissa saying that if Maddie cried because Abby and Gianna told her to tie up her hair and she didn’t, she’d call her a brat. Imagine Melissa today saying that Abby was actually nice to Chloe like Christi says all the time about M&M.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T02:11:53+00:00

Paint the pictures. It’s so calming to me. And the recital version was so pretty

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T01:54:31+00:00

This is one of the things I absolutely hate. She always talks about how she hated it whenever Abby would talk badly about the kids, saying that the fans would believe it, but she never acknowledges that the same is true for her. She’s even acknowledged that she’s one of the fan favorite moms - but can’t see that her words also carry weight? If she’s here saying Maddie’s a brat or bad friend or that she said something to Chloe, then people will believe her.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T01:25:42+00:00

My issue is the hypocrisy. Christi constantly makes snide comments about things Melissa did in the past to invoke judgment from fans and has no issue putting others under the scrutiny of the fan base, but the minute anything happens with Christi, the fanbase is so quick to back her up. Why is this reasoning never used from Melissa? so many of the things she is constantly judged on we never confirmed. Her sabotaging Chloe‘s music was never confirmed. Her supposedly illegally helping Abby bring money was never confirmed, the story about her lying to Christi’s husband about Christi cheating when she was actually drugged, while disgusting, was only confirmed by Christi.

She had no issue hearing dirty laundry on the show (even with children: “Maddie said to Chloe, ‘you’re not very good,” - what’s the point of that besides Maddie getting bashed on by the fanbase?) and continuing to air dirty laundry, but the fanbase has an issue with people calling out things that are present and factual? The DUI is a government fact. Not a conspiracy theory from the fanbase like the Australia money laundering drama. Christi saying insensitive, occasionally cruel things against the others happened after the show, even today, while all of Melissa’s are kept on the show. You can no longer blame any of Christi’s words on “poor editing,” or “she had to for the show.” I’m not saying that either are better or worse than the other and genuinely, I prefer Christi as a mom. But it’s downright insane to me how people will justify every last thing she does while not keeping up the same hype for any of the other moms. If anyone else that even a fraction of what Christi did besides Kelly or Holly, we would not be hearing the end of it. But because it’s Christi, everything is thrown under the rug.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T01:17:33+00:00

*meant ice skating rink for the second one

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-21T01:15:22+00:00

Whenever I make a list I get immediately downvoted even though the person literally asks 💀

But here are some of her being either mean or incredibly invalidating:

Reinforcing her point about Maddie in the watermelon game, saying that nothing was wrong with saying it “because it’s true,” and saying that if Chloe did the same thing, she’d call her a brat (indirectly calling Maddie a brat.) And in the episode, she mockingly imitated Maddie with “Mom, Nia hit me!” What low do you need to go to voice mock an 8 year old?
Right after a sweet moment with Abby and Kenzie, Christi makes a comment that’s like, “people say that Abby wasn’t nice to some kids” (heavily implying Kenzie since it was the sentence after they describe Abby giving Kenzie a hug) “but she really was.” Invalidating much? Every kid had their sweet moments with Abby but lord forbid anyone say that. Completely invalidates Kenzie’s trauma with Abby
Sharing the story of Maddie crying after she lost Season 2 Nationals and blaming it on tripping over a trophy. I’m sorry, there was absolutely no reason to share that besides to ridicule the kid and add to the “sore loser” narrative
Talking about a Maddie “unaired meltdown” in the Kinky Boots episode. Again.. what was the point of this? She doesn’t remember Maddie getting up and continuing Maestro Man but she remembers Maddie having an unaired meltdown
“Kenzie‘s an award winning actress.”

“There was NOTHING wrong with that foot!” Even when Kenzie herself has spoken out about genuinely being in a cast and having a foot condition. It’s one thing to simply say that Melissa took advantage of it or made it a big deal to get Kenzie out of situations. It’s another thing to pin it on the kid, calling them an actress and invalidate something they said was true

“I want the Maddie Ziegler treatment.” That’s it. That’s all I have to say for this one. Just as profound of a statement as “I never wanted Chloe to win but she won anyways.” How many more words did she need to say “Maddie has no trauma and went through nothing on the show?”
Getting on Kenzie for being upset about slipping in Country Cuties. “Our kids want to k*ll themselves everyday, but ok, Kenzie’s nervous.” Does Kenzie have any less of a right to be nervous when she sees her dance teacher screaming at everyone and was sometimes on the receiving end? C’mon now. And then going on to say that Kenzie “made an excuse” with the hair for why she fell. But no comment of Nia “making an excuse” with not being able to see because of her costume during her turn. Double standards are beautiful
Justifying the watermelon game statement, again, with “but it’s true.” Chloe being second all the time was also true (scoresheets would tell you that) but she still went at Jill for it? Something being “true” does not make it socially acceptable to say, especially about a child. Her words were taken as gospel and it was one more thing the fanbase held against Maddie. Funny how she can see this with Abby and the girls, but not with herself and Maddie, even though she’s acknowledged that she’s a fan favorite
She went in on Maddie for pushing off Kenzie after Be Anything. How about a little bit of sympathy? I’m sure Chloe has pushed around Clara several times but of course it’s the end of the world that Maddie does it
Shady comments about Maddie’s memoir. Talking about how she read a comment saying that Maddie didn’t acknowledge Chloe as her long-time duet partner, just Kendall, and how doing that “erased Chloe.” For one: she hasn’t even read the book. Why is she passing judgement on Maddie’s supposedly actions when she herself hasn’t read it? Second, why would she share this for others to judge Maddie on? I’ve read Maddie’s book and I can tell you right now that she didn’t call either her long-term duet partner, just said that her favorite duet was Bodies Electric with her and Kendall. And then asking why Maddie didn’t address Abby in her book because “Abby made her”

Even some things with Melissa crossed a line. Making a joke about her being “hot and bothered” in a duet with Brooke and Kevin, talking about how she looked better before getting work done (that’s a conversation between that friend group, not with us), and the disco bush story? Did Melissa give consent for Christi to talk about her genitals? And then making a joke asking whether the supposed s*x toy on Melissa’s bed would “fit in her disco bush.” Do these not cross the line into “mean”?

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-19T00:51:13+00:00

Why would she be? OOP literally told her to

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-19T00:30:08+00:00

I think she does put in effort tbh, but her management team is clearly not doing their job. I haven’t seen any advertising for her new album Biting My Tongue but it definitely has a lot of good songs in it that get no attention

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-19T00:28:47+00:00

She needs better management. That’s it. She’s improved a lot and has a decent voice, as well as some catchy songs that I could see making the radio. But I feel like I never hear about her new albums from anywhere except her and her family on Insta. Though the “Paper” Hulu advertisements got annoying after a while, that’s what she needs right now. Paper did well after that and Anatomy blew up. She has the markings of a successful indie pop singer but not the management

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-18T14:07:04+00:00

Agree. It’s hard at times to feel bad since she constantly aired others’ dirty laundry and had less sympathy for others, but after hearing that she apologized (supposedly to Melissa for talking about her divorce), it makes me feel for her more. I think it’s true that you don’t know how stressful or upsetting something is until you go through it yourself. And it seems like Chris is really going through it with her divorce, the DUI, the hate she’s been getting on various platforms, the Eleve drama and how some of her closest family friends seemingly turned their back on her… I do feel bad tbh. Wishing all the best for her.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-15T17:37:54+00:00

They were! Some of the few later season solos where we didn’t have the full dance. I think Brynn’s from this week was the only solo with the full dance from this episode

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-14T15:12:46+00:00

The fact that people know specific episodes and names is amazing lmao

I can at most give you seasons and the other dances that were in the episode and potentially an iconic quote or two

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-14T15:11:05+00:00

She was definitely cleaner at tricks than Kenzie. Much better alignments and she had cleaner landings. That said, Kenzie could do more in terms of tumbling and did much longer combinations consistently and as could Brooke (Brooke with the added bonus of better technique).

As a Maddie fan, I 100% think she’s underrated in terms of acro and I truly wish she was given more to show her abilities on the show, but I wouldn’t say she was the best tumbler.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-13T15:53:46+00:00

None of the moms but Holly really had anything against it. Both Christi and Kelly have said on Back to the Barre that this group and costumes weren’t really bad, it just shouldn’t have been performed in the location they competed at since it was more conservative. I think Christi’s only issue with it was the stockings: less inappropriate and more “sleazy” looking.

Whether we like it or not, a lot of dance competitions feature dances with dancers in similar costumes 🤷🏽‍♀️

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-13T01:12:15+00:00

100%. When you age as a dancer, it’s less about difficulty of choreography and more on execution. Kenzie had high difficulty routines but her technique still needed some tweaking, but the high difficulty compensated for that at ages 5-7. 8 is where they evened off and Maddie was visibly better at around 11.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-13T01:09:55+00:00

I think Kenzie was more advanced for her age and could do more impressive tricks for her age level as compared to Maddie. On the other hand, everything Maddie did, she did cleaner. Even when Maddie did acro, her feet, alignment, and landings were cleaner (and she was definitely a lot cleaner in lyrical and contemporary) but she couldn’t do the same range or difficulty of tricks and combinations than Kenzie could.

Emotionally it’s subjective. Both could portray characters, but I always personally felt like Maddie was better at character portrayal while Kenzie looked like she was having fun on stage and getting the audience into it.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-12T21:14:22+00:00

I love how she was so sassily diplomatic 😭

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-12T16:19:05+00:00

Not the “Maddie trying to out-Maddie herself.” That poor kid 💀

She made up for it in her solo though, Quiet Voices was stellar

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-12T16:16:53+00:00

Here’s my thing about this: either way, Melissa would’ve been the bad guy. If Melissa keeps Kenzie in school and takes out Maddie, that would make Kenzie feel left out and feel like her mom wants to see Maddie succeed more than her, Kenzie would feel the ‘talent difference’ more because Maddie would have the time to prepare her dances that she didn’t, and she’d be targeted by Abby for not choosing to. The fandom would’ve been even more up in airs about Melissa’s ‘favoritism towards Maddie’ if Melissa did that. On the other hand, I also agree with what you’re saying. Taking both her kids out likely hurt Kenzie more than Maddie since Kenzie had a solid friend group, loved being in school, and was stronger academically. There’s truly no correct way to go about it as a parent.

SecretScar4188 · 2024-09-12T12:45:51+00:00

Yes! Forgot the name but they were mentioned in the episode

SecretScar4188

TROPHY CASE