heaven ♪ ♪ oh yeah yeah yeah yeah oh yeah yeah oh yeah yeah yeah yeah ♪ >> jimmy: bruno mars, this is his cd, "unorthodox jukebox." you can see a bonus song at jimmykimmellive.com. sofia vergara and george lois. apologies to matt damon. we ran out of time. stay tuned for "nightline."

tonight on "nightline," calorie confidential. they're cropping up on menus across the country. but just how accurate are those calorie counts? the surprising things you should know before you order. they're gorgeous, they're groomed. >> it has to be nip tucked. >> they're competing for the most coveted title in the land. the high stakes drama behind the scenes at the miss america competition. and cyndi lauper unplugged, from "girls just wanna have fun" rebels, to busy working mom. cyndi lauper on staying edgy while parenting a teenager.

from new york city, this is "nightline" with terry moran. >> hello, i'm terry moran. glad you're with us tonight. well, love 'em or hate 'em, the calorie counts seen on many restaurant menus across the country will soon be going national thanks to a federal law. one of the latest weapons in the war on obesity. they're there to help americans pick healthy choices while dining out. but does all that menu math really add up, or could you be packing in more calories than you bargained for? abc's jim avila has the straight skinny. >> reporter: they are supposed to help america's obesity problem. calorie counts boldly displayed on restaurant menus. >> that's kind of important to have that visibility in what you're eating. >> reporter: two states in nine counties require them today, and by the middle of this year, a federal law is expected to force chain restaurants, convenience

stores and vending machines nationwide to post calorie counts. it's all part of the government's effort to help tighten waistlines and stop the obesity epidemic. how many calories you need every day varies depending on size, age, and physical activity. but the usda general recommendations for women are between 1,600 and 2,400 calories per day. and 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day for men. but how accurate are those calorie counts on the menu? a study sampling food from 42 restaurants says it depends. fast-food joints are most accurate because of the uniform recipes and portions. but there are sometimes wide variations found in sit-down restaurants. >> we found that 20% of the foods we tested had 100 calories or more over what was stated on the menu. and we would consider that to be a considerable amount. i know that may not sound like a

lot, but if someone were to consume 100 calories extra per day for a year, they could gain up to ten pounds. so that could really be a problem. >> reporter: and most concerning is that a majority of the errors were made on the diet side of the menu. >> these are the foods that people who are trying to manage their weight would gravitate toward and they may be getting more calories than they expect. >> reporter: a just completed abc news sampling found that more than half of the low-cal meals we tested had more calories than listed on the menu. we gathered food under the direction of a nationally known lab, sent producers to three cities where major chains list their calorie counts on the menu. we collected the food as directed, never touching it with our hands, froze it, and sent it to the lab in florida for analysis. >> the samples were taken under chain of custody. >> reporter: 24 food samples from restaurants and one mcdonald's. >> when they arrived at the laboratory, they were frozen in dried ice.

>> reporter: the food was stored until each could be tested for its calorie count. then the food chemist put each food into a big blender. >> basically, you put the entire contest into one blend. now we can see the difference from where we started. it's just one smooth paste. all the ingredients are blended together. >> reporter: the results were surprising. mcdonald's did the best. both the big mac meal and the premium chicken sandwich tested 30 calories below the menu count. but the sit-down restaurants had results sometimes wildly different than advertised. in all, only one calorie count was accurate. a skinny chicken salad sandwich from cheesecake factory. 11 meals had more calories than on the menu and ten had fewer calories. the biggest surprise, perhaps, involved chili's original ribs. they tested way under the menu promise, all three times we bought them, by over 600

calories. other meals were over by only a few. in the over category, this entree had the biggest variance. cheesecake factory's fish and chips dinner was over by a full 420 calories. that's like drinking three cans of sugary soda on top of your meal. olive garden's low calorie seafood was over its calorie count by 120. and one sample of the chili's lighter margarita grill chicken taste e tested 120 calories more than advertised. >> the fast-food industry tends to have a more formulaic preparation method. it's just a matter of warming it up and serving it to the consumer. at a sit-down restaurant, things are being prepared on the spot. if by chance some extra butter gets into the pan, that can really make a big difference. >> reporter: all the restaurants and their trade association say that most calorie counts are as accurate as possible and test

extensively to make sure. but they concede there are variations. mostly due to portion size and individual restaurant preparation. in the menus, actual calories may vary. what can you do? ask for everything fattening on the side. >> other high calorie additions such as cheeses or sauces, again, just try to order those so that you have a little more control over the portioning. >> reporter: important information soon to be on every menu, because americans now eat 1/3 of their meals outside the home. for "nightline," i'm jim avila in washington. >> jim avila counting calories for us. thanks for that. next up, we're going to take you to the glitter, the drama, the glory, and the tears. what really happens behind the scenes of the miss america pageant. [ dylan ] this is one way to keep your underwear clean. this is another! ta-daa! try charmin ultra strong. it cleans so well and you can use up to four times less

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from the big shiny hair to the tiny bikinis, to the five-inch stilettos, for a moment, or more, you might forget the miss america pageant is actually a scholarship competition. well, tomorrow night, millions are going to watch as 53 young beauty queens vie for the iconic crown, and "good morning america's" lara spencer will be pulling back the curtain on the preening and the melodrama behind the scenes. tonight, she brings us this sneak preview. >> reporter: with their heads high and their shoulders back,

the 2013 contestants are in las vegas. >> i don't need those right now. >> reporter: loaded down with suitcases of gowns, heels, hair dryers and makeup, they head to their rooms at planet hollywood, where they will be virtually sequestered for the next week and a half. >> do we know who our roommates are? >> reporter: they are allowed no contact with family or coaches. they only have each other. >> you look great! >> you, too. >> reporter: they will spend nearly every waking hour together as they assess up close and personal if all their hard work really measures up. the schedule is rigid. >> remember what he did at 9:00 a.m. this morning? that's better. >> reporter: packed with fittings, autographs, and rehearsals. >> we don't know how people are going to react when the competition comes. backstage, when you're in it, you're in go mode. you're about to go onstage. you never know when the claws will come out. >> reporter: it is just the second day and already they seem overwhelmed.

even a little dazed. >> look, this girl's doing push-ups. >> reporter: but they do their best to stay disciplined and keep a sense of humor. some make no secret of an extreme need for beauty sleep, catching cat naps wherever and whenever. >> we did get up really early today. we ate breakfast at 7:00. i usually don't eat breakfast that early. so that made me a little more tired than normal. >> reporter: and there is no rest after rehearsals. the nights bring required outings. lipstick fresh, crowns affixed. this is a contest of stamina. tonight the women will be bussed to a nearby show. and conversation starts out innocently enough. at this stage in the game, how hungry are you? >> i want some mashed potatoes and ice cream and doritos. >> when i asked them how they're feeling, the conversation takes a turn. tell the truth, who's nervous here? >> excited nerves.

>> i'm nervous because i'm always getting some kind of snide remark. and no matter what, no matter what, i always feel a little inferior at moments. >> reporter: the other contestants are taken aback. but miss maine has more to say. >> today was one of my hardest days, actually. >> reporter: why? >> another contestant flat-out said some really rude and unkind things to me, and i just kind of sat back and i thought, you know, we're all here as miss americas, and i don't understand why you're kind of lashing out. what's coming from behind that? and so th, that was my day. >> reporter: miss new mexico is counting on the fact that she looks different from the others as just the thing that will give her an edge. >> there's a lot of blondes. you're blonde. >> reporter: when everybody arrived here and it was a sea of blonde, how was that for you? >> it's a little different.

you know, i've been a brunette my whole life. i've always -- no offense, i've always felt like brunettes are more beautiful because i always see blondes and i feel like they look the same. but i'm not intimidated because i'm candace and that's who i'm going to be to the judges. >> reporter: she may not be dyeing her hair blonde any time soon, but that's not because she believes in all things natural. >> reporter: do a lot of girls enhance? >> absolutely. for sure. i mean, this is a pageant. but it's about what makes you feel confident. i actually also have fake teeth. yeah, i've had plastic surgery and i feel great about it. my favorite quote says if it bags or drags, it has to be nipped, sucked and tucked. >> reporter: what does tit say about plastic surgery? >> we leave it solely up to them. it is their choice to make themselves look as good as they want to look. >> reporter: sam haskell says that while plastic surgery is

allowed, contestants must sign a contract attesting to a clean criminal record. there can be no marriages and no pregnancies. what you may not realize at home is that the judging of the miss america pageant you see on tv actually begins a week before the live broadcast. in rounds of preliminary competitions. up first is the all-important interview. >> i think that home schooling gave me a chance to really just come to get to know myself. >> reporter: my "good morning america" co-anchor sam champion is on this year's panel of celebrity judges. >> how do you feel the state of a two-party system is in this country? >> i think it's extremely divided and it's very frustrating to see how people are not willing to compromise. >> reporter: our cameras are allowed inside the interview rooms with exclusive access. >> what did you change to compete for miss america? what did you do in order to win? >> i didn't change anything. i just didn't listen to them. >> reporter: each contestant gets just ten minutes to shine. >> what is one of your favorite things about yourself? >> i love my skin tone.

i will tell you, i am the only girl here who doesn't have a spray tan and who doesn't sit in a tanning bed, and that's because i truly live a healthy lifestyle. >> reporter: when it's all said and done, the women are confident. >> honey, i've got to tell you, i'm miss america. >> reporter: and they are emotional. >> i touched on my platform. i touched on my life. >> sorry, i'm excited. >> you dream about it. you think about it. thanks. >> reporter: and in just a few hours, someone will realize that dream. for "nightline," i'm lara spencer in las vegas. >> wow. watch pageant confidential: the road to miss america special edition of "20/20" tomorrow right here on abc. just ahead, from "girls just wanna have fun" to raising a teenager, cyndi lauper talks about rocking out while being a mom. [ male announcer ] you like who you are...

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it might be hard to believe that cyndi lauper's girl power hits have been around for 30 years now. that will make you feel old. but you can't really say she's slowed down since the early days. in 2012 alone, she published a hit memoir, lobbied congress and premiered her own musical. she told abc's juju chang about balancing life as pop icon and working mom when they went on the town. >> reporter: i just noticed your hair is not quite platinum.

what color is it? >> kind of like salmon. >> reporter: kind of salmon. >> you know i like color. >> reporter: crazy colored hair was always cyndi lauper's signature look. ♪ we're the fortunate ones and girls they wanna have fun ♪ >> reporter: it's been 28 years since "girls just wanna have fun" became a campy girl power rallying cry, earning lauper fame and a boat load of grammys and mtv awards. >> boy, am i glad i won, otherwise this tiara would have looked awfully stupid. >> reporter: she penned a best-selling memoir and still fights for gay and lesbian equality. but now she's launching a reality show. that documents her life, alternating between rock star and suburban wife and mom. >> do you have a girlfriend? >> no.

>> they can't wait until they get underarm smell. but the truth when i was 10, i was pinching my breasts so hard. >> reporter: you wanted puberty. >> i wanted something there. >> reporter: we met up in lower manhattan to dish about the struggles of working moms when dad is the stay at home parent. >> you look pretty. >> reporter: she's been married to actor david thornton for 20-plus years. here you are the wild girl who has a stable marriage. >> it's hard with david raising both of us. i'm kidding. >> reporter: how was it decided that he was going to be the one that stays home? >> we switch back and forth. and then my job kind of never ended. so he stayed. and then you got to be there for them. >> being away for a period of time, suddenly come back and you miss four inches. >> my kid's growing up and i'm not there. >> i work a lot because i want to give him everything i never

could have. you know? i didn't grow up with a silver spoon. >> reporter: and those nonsilver spoon roots still show. >> the dishwasher is broke, and what do i look like? >> reporter: you with no makeup doing the dishes, it's a beautiful thing. >> that was funny. >> reporter: that was hysterical. >> i don't want to be fake parent. i don't want to be fake anything. i want to be the real thing. >> reporter: but keeping it real often gets her into hot water. >> of course, it's not [ bleep ]. >> reporter: and her son declan gives her all sorts of grief about it. >> you swear at home, you swear at work, and now it bit you in the ass because you swore at the wrong time. >> reporter: he's parenting you. you drop an "f" bomb on tv, he's like ma -- >> dad always says if you don't curse when it's not important, you won't curse when it is. and i was thinking, [ bleep ] yeah. no, i'm kidding. >> reporter: she was raised in an italian working class section of queens in new york city, waiting tables and working in a

thrift store. >> i was a waitress in vermont, where nick had an open kitchen and he used to yell to me, what are you, a comedian? lauper, pick up the food. >> reporter: we stopped by the recording studio where she's putting the finishing touches on a broadway musical she's co-written called, what else, "kinky boots." about a struggling schumaker who turns to sexy stilettos to revive the family business. ♪ everybody say yeah >> i'm black jesus, i'm black mary. but these mary's legs are hairy. >> reporter: it's hard to keep up with lauper who at 59 is busier than ever. do you think people will see themselves in your life? because it's not like they can relate to being a rock star. >> yeah, but they can relate to being a working mom and a couple