Mario Lopez, the dimple-cheeked actor who first rose to prominence playing the deeply conflicted Albert Clifford 'A.C.' Slater on the Chekhovian scholastics drama Saved by the Bell, has been announced as the new host of Extra. As we mentioned yesterday, ratings were declining steadily for the syndicated celebrity newsbite service; Warner Bros. was therefore looking to drop its current hosts (Mark McGrath, former lead singer of the Afro-Caribbean-flavored pop outfit Sugar Ray, and Dayna Devon, who apparently is not Nancy O'Dell) in favor of something fresher, absier, and more Eva Longoria-accessible. Weekend co-host Lopez fit that bill: "'He will be a fresh and dynamic presence, and we can't wait for him to assume his new role,' said senior exec producer Lisa Gregorish-Dempsey." Look for new features like the VitaminWater presents Extra's Live! From the DKNY Beach House!, and the Mario Lopez's Knockout Fitness Gym Couture Fashion Report.

For a guy who proclaimed back in 1999 that he only had one second of his fifteen minutes of fame left, Mark McGrath has proven to be a resilient feature on the entertainment circuit (and our weekly Dirt Sandwich) for well over a decade now. Sadly, though, it looks as if that streak may be coming to a close. Today's New York Post reports that the brass at celebrity infotainment staple Extra are looking to salvage the ratings-challenged show by axing both McGrath and his comely blonde co-host, Dayna Devon. Reports have these roles possibly being filled by Bayside High's most successful alum, secret chest shaver Mario Lopez. [NY Post]

• Ashley Dupre's reps, who have been negotiating deals on her behalf, say she's interested in "journalism and lounge singing," and that she "sees herself as a kind of Dr. Phil." Appropriately, the $2 million TV offer she's considering would team her up with the producer to reunited Joey Buttafuoco and Amy Fisher. [NYP]