Mario Lopez could star in 'Smooching with a Smirnoff'

An "Extra" cameraman obstructed a video shot Thursday of Mario Lopez planting a quick kiss on Karina Smirnoff.

That's the bad news. The good news is that they're still smoochin'!

Smirnoff, the adorable professional dancer, was at the Mall of America's Barnes & Noble book-signing for "Mario Lopez's Knockout Fitness." The couple met when they were paired as partners on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" in 2007. In a manner of speaking, they were each other's consolation prize, because they came in second.

Their relationship is also a sign that Lopez, who's basically a buff dimple with lots of options, is demonstrating a modicum of commitment. He is, after all, the fellow whose marriage to Ali Landry ended after two weeks, reportedly because of his infidelity issues.

Before Smirnoff dropped off Lopez for his book-signing duties, they went to Healthy Express. Lopez had the Texas Chicken Wrap and a Wave Runner smoothie. "And he made up his own drink -- water, protein and ice. It wasn't that good," said Healthy Express staffer David, who tried it. Well, I can highly recommend the Wave Runner -- pineapple, bananas, kiwi, coconut, protein powder, apple juice, nonfat yogurt -- consumed through one of those chubby straws.

David said Mario likes about a quarter-cup of protein powder in his drinks.

I guess a guy needs energy from protein powder for all of that kissin'. So how many times a day do they kiss, I asked cameraman Fernando Rosales, who is documenting Lopez's book-signing events for "Extra," where Lopez is also a correspondent.

Kissing your girlfriend is a part of Lopez's duty? "He does a good job of it," Rosales said.

Canoodling NeelysIn other lovey-dovey details, Market BBQ's Steve Polski reports that the heat's real between FoodTV's Gina and Pat Neely.

The "Down Home with the Neelys" couple were in the Twin Cities last week shooting at Polski's restaurant for what he says is an episode of a new show called "Road Tested with the Neelys."

Said Polski: "Part of the mystique of their show is that they are very in love and sweet to each other. They're exactly like that in person. They were high school sweethearts. There's always a lot of sweet interaction between them and everyone who watches it just loves the they way they get along. I can confirm they are just as much in love in person as they are on TV."

Polski thinks his interview with them will air in July.

"She went and auditioned to be the first ever female millionaire with a really popular, hip young casting director Doron Ofir," said Raisch's L.A.-based PR guy Ben Brosseau. Ofir "just got done casting 'Paris Hilton's Best Friend' TV show. He specializes in reality TV casting."

And Raisch, an award-winning high-end stylist and makeup artist who has worked Fashion Week, recently popped off the screen of "Split Ends," the Style Network reality show in which she was so snippy, snooty and snide that she became the target of heated Internet threats. People were very irritated by her elitist attitude on "Split Ends."

I've met the woman. She's serious about her business but basically she's nice, so get a clue, chumps, she's playing a part.

"She went for it," Brosseau said. "I think 90 percent of the viewers knew she was kind of hamming it up. But there has been a lot of controversy, the YouTube.com video [code words: stylist loses it on TV] that was posted. Her episode [of 'Split Ends'] was the most popular of the entire season. She really made an impact."

And her PR guy is making sure Raisch makes the most of it with the launch of shaunastyle.com.