DEADHEADING MT. LAUREL AND RHODIES

My response to that is "DON'T".
Sometimes we look at those spent blooms and all we want to do is take them off. Sure, you can do it with a great deal of care. BUT, I think unless you are VERY sure of what you are removing, don't do it. The bud for next years flower sits right under the spent bloom. If you break (or cut) it just a tad too far, you've lost next years flower. I have decided that it's worth looking at a few spent blooms in order to save the glorious show of next spring!
Now, having said that, if you let the plant put out it's new shoots, and THEN deadhead, you'll probably be safe. So, be patient (the definition of a gardener!) and put off the deadheading until you see those new branches.
There are those that say that if you don't deadhead, next years bloom will be less spectacular. I have never found that to be true...but, perhaps that's just an "old gardener's tale"...who knows.