Mario Lopez To Host "Extra"

LOS ANGELES — Mario Lopez may be doing a happy dance after being picked as the new solo host of "Extra."

Lopez, 34, who's served as a correspondent for the syndicated entertainment newsmagazine and co-hosted its weekend edition since January 2007, will take over from co-hosts Mark McGrath and Dayna Devon, the producers of "Extra" announced Monday.

McGrath asked to released from his contract to focus on his band, Sugar Ray, which is recording a new album, Telepictures Productions said. He continued to perform with the band while on "Extra."

Devon, with the show since 1999, will return to her "Extra" reporting roots with celebrity interviews and "celebrity lifestyle" stories and will serve as a substitute host for Lopez.

Lopez is a "rising star with a winning personality both on- and off-camera," "Extra" senior executive producer Lisa Gregorisch-Dempsey said.

Things are going his way: The one-time finalist on "Dancing with the Stars" is appearing on Broadway in a revival of the musical "A Chorus Line" and was named People magazine's "Hottest Bachelor" of 2008. His early credits include the sitcom "Saved by the Bell."

Lopez is set to take over as anchor on Sept. 15 when the show begins its 15th season.

Comments

[masha2008]

ewww. this guy is so vain. he such a diva-he asked that a more buff castmate be put in the back. i barely watched that show before, now, i'm really going to avoid it.

[DaCynic]

Hey, I'm glad this obvious Latin guy is heading up a nationally­-syndicate­d show while maintaining his Latin name.

In hollywood, most Latins never admit to being latin, since discrimination against latinos is still a fad.

Nicole Ritchie, Latin.
Jessica Alba, Latin
That stupid Magician, you know, the annoying guy how got frozen in ice and held his breath for like 20 hours (or minutes, I forget), Latin... oh Yeah, David Blaine, Latin
Martin Sheen, Latin
Charlie Sheen, Latin

and I could go on and on. In this country, latin people are still required to be ambigious about their race, and hopefully look a little eurpean or persian to make it big... otherwise, they're just dirty mexicans.

Good for Mario and the country that a Lopez is mainstream.

[POINT84]

Interesting post. Haven't quite sold me on it though

[MadMoll]

You're leaving out Jimmy Smits. and a host of others.

[marymansour]

Mario is a yucker.

[rextrek]

I don't watch that trash TV..when there are MORE important things going on in the world!

[misswilliams]

Who cares about Mario Lopez???

[BlueandGreen]

You cared enough to comment about not caring.

Mario's personable and cute so this is a pretty good gig for him; if he had been made host of The Price Is Right (instead of the very dry, not so cute Drew Carey), I'd still be watching it ... and still getting the prices wrong (and definitely no brand...ne­w....CAH!)­.

[misswilliams]

Mario is "personable and cute?" I didn't realize that you two were such good friends. Nobody cared about him until he was on Dancing with the Stars; before that he was just this has been actor from Saved by the Bell.