The Show(girl) Must Go On

Melissa Schorr

Monday, Dec. 22, 1997 | 9:41 a.m.

Joan Lunden spent years waking up the country as the host of "Good Morning America." Now she knows what it's like to keep them up -- as a Las Vegas showgirl.

It's having every move down to your fingers be just so.

It's walking down a flight of tilted stairs on two-inch heels gracefully, keeping your body erect with a huge smile on your face.

It's having people stare at your 47-year-old rump.

"It's a very vulnerable thing for a woman, walking out there expecting to stick that leg out and strut your stuff," Lunden told the SUN.

Lunden was in town for a three-day weekend at Bally's last month, learning what it takes to be a "Jubilee!" showgirl -- but not a topless one -- for her fifth prime time special, "Behind Closed Doors With Joan Lunden," which airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. on ABC (Channel 13).

Lunden, 47, who left "GMA" in September after hosting the morning show for 17 years -- she was replaced by Lisa McRee -- has spent time with the Navy SEALS, the Secret Service and the CIA for her previous specials.

No comparison.

"I have enormous respect for what they do," Lunden said of her fellow cast members, whom she profusely thanked for letting her get a glimpse at what goes on backstage. "These dancers are so devoted.

"I think people will be surprised to learn this is one of the toughest jobs you could ever imagine," she said. "Two shows a night, six nights a week, and they are so strenuous. You really have to want to do this job -- you have to have dance and showbiz in your blood."

To prepare for her role in the $40 million production, Lunden spent months getting in shape, then worked with a dancer for a week before coming out to Las Vegas. The next 72 hours were an intensive mix of costume fittings, makeup lessons and dance rehearsals.

"You couldn't do anything to be more prepared -- except dance for 20 years," admitted Lunden, who hadn't taken a dance lesson since she was a child. "I don't expect to be perfect, I'm not trying to be. I just want to get it right," she said.

What was the best advice she got? "Pretend you're the only one on stage. If each one lights up like they're the only one on stage, then you've got 78 people out here all lit up, and you've got one spectacular show."

Lunden's three daughters, one of whom, Lindsay, hopes to be a dancer on Broadway someday, could not attend the show because it was a schoolnight. "I'm glad I didn't bring her along, because she would have thought this was really cool," joked Lunden.

But Joan's own mother, Gladyce Blunden, (Joan dropped the "B" for her stage name) flew in from Sacramento to see the show -- and take pictures of her daughter's name up on the marquee.

"I always told her she could do whatever she wanted -- maybe I encouraged her too much," Bludnen joked.

Just before the show, Lunden confided her biggest fear.

"Did you ever see that old 'I Love Lucy' where she tries to be in a show, and she trips and falls and knocks down the whole line of chorus girls?" she asked with a laugh. "I've had that vision a couple of times."

She needn't have worried.

Looking petrified at first beneath a plastic grin, Lunden seemed to nail all her moves and bobs, and won a standing ovation from the ecstatic crowd, a mix of adoring fans and curious hotel guests.

Lunden performed two numbers: The "Disco" number, parading down those steps wearing a huge feathered backpiece weighing 30 pounds, a rhinestone headpiece and drapery from her arms; and the "Red Fans" number, wearing a Bob Mackie red ostrich-feathered gown with a five-foot train.

So what did she take away from the showgirl experience? "I learned everything is larger than life," Lunden said. "The eyelashes, the feathers, the jewelry -- everything is over the top.

"And," she added, "they tell me smiling big covers up a multitude of errors."