Fame Bites - Mario Lopez
October 8th, 2010
05:15 PM ET
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Fame Bites goes inside the belly of the entertainment beast. We're dishing out where the celebrities are eating, what they're eating and who they're eating with.

We recently caught up with Mario Lopez - the host of "Extra," former Saved By the Bell-er and Eatocracy's brand-new Chief Ab Correspondent - to shoot the breeze about Cajun cooking, how he maintains his svelte figure (not like we’re staring or anything) and whether or not A.C. Slater and the rest of the Bayside Class of '89 really did ever eat anything at “The Max.”


You are very physically fit - do you have a passion for food or look at it as just fuel?
"I have an extreme passion for food - [my] dream job would be to be the food critic for CNN, although I’d be horrible because I like everything. Some people eat to survive but I survive to eat. It’s a big part of my culture.

With that said, food is also the worst enemy when you're trying to stay in shape because as important as it is to work out, if you want to maintain being lean, you have to watch what you eat. I try for pretty balanced meals, graze all day like I talk about in my book, 'Extra Lean.'"

Do you enjoy cooking?
"I love to cook when I have time, which is rare. But I’d love to learn more and brush up on my culinary skills. I do appreciate the art of cooking and love being out on the grill."

Who is your dream cooking teacher?
"Emeril! I love Cajun food and I love food from New Orleans. Crawfish, gumbo - it’s amazing."

What do you think is the most seductive food?
"I think the messier, the better, because you can have more fun with it - clean it off of his or her chin. Food that you can eat with your hands, a little bit more passionate. Break the ice on a date and let loose. Mangoes are very passionate fruit - juicy and sweet and it’s a nice ice breaker."

What is your guilty pleasure?
"Going to the movies and eating popcorn and M&Ms."

One weigh loss tip or tip from 'Extra Lean' for those who want to be healthier.
"Control your portions. We are this 'Big Gulp' society and need to take it back to the 'Leave it to Beaver Days' and graze like a cow - [with a] healthy balance of carbs, protein and vegetables."

Going back to your “Saved By the Bell” days – did you ever eat at “The Max?”
"I think we might have had fake food - and if we did, we definitely didn’t eat it!"

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter! Is there one recipe you are most excited to share with her?
"I honestly am looking forward to sharing everything with her - she’s half-Mexican, half-Italian, so hopefully she’ll love both cultures and foods."

What is your favorite spice?
"I like Tony Chachere's seasoned salt - a Creole sort of spice and it’s good. I use it instead of regular salt."

What is your signature drink?
"I like Grey Goose and soda with two limes. Or a margarita - can’t go wrong with that!"

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soundoff (17 Responses)
  1. about lung cancer

    Useful information. Lucky me I found your site by chance, and I'm surprised why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.

    March 8, 2013 at 2:44 pm | Reply
  2. jhon

    is that mario lopez.?
    OMG...

    October 9, 2010 at 1:10 pm | Reply
  3. PARROT

    I WONDER IF HE IS LIGHTENING HIS SKIN WITH LEMON JUICE?

    October 9, 2010 at 10:32 am | Reply
  4. Rick Sanchez

    He's a wannabe ME!

    October 9, 2010 at 9:20 am | Reply
  5. Ororoson

    No, Mario, YOU are the seductive food.

    October 9, 2010 at 7:35 am | Reply
  6. rick

    ditto mike.

    October 9, 2010 at 5:10 am | Reply
  7. The Pants

    The pants! Remember the pants he used to wear?.....
    Amazing.

    October 9, 2010 at 5:06 am | Reply
    • Ykolie

      The stone washed jeans were classic.

      October 9, 2010 at 2:11 pm | Reply
  8. The_Istrian

    Is Mario still starring in "Who rung his bell"?

    October 9, 2010 at 2:26 am | Reply
  9. PlutarcoCasimiroPerplejo

    I bet you if it was Lady Gaga or Paris Hilton on one of their stupid rampage acts this would be full of people praising them. Fat losers! LOL!

    October 9, 2010 at 2:15 am | Reply
    • PairAzzHilton

      What a Mongoloid! I'm HOT Lard Ass Loser!

      October 10, 2010 at 5:30 pm | Reply
  10. PlutarcoCasimiroPerplejo

    Two comments on this article?, that is why America is so obese. In this short article we find a couple of great advices on how to eat right, and we get two comments from two Mcdonald lovers trying to criticise it. Fat losers! LOL!

    October 9, 2010 at 2:11 am | Reply
    • James

      The entire article was worth the following (if anyone was paying attention):

      "Control your portions. We are this 'Big Gulp' society and need to take it back to the 'Leave it to Beaver Days' and graze like a cow – [with a] healthy balance of carbs, protein and vegetables."

      October 9, 2010 at 2:07 pm | Reply
  11. Ugh.

    LOSER. LOSER, LOSER, LOSER. Mysogonistic loser.

    October 9, 2010 at 1:09 am | Reply
  12. mike

    Why did I even click this article? Who really gives a frog's fat behind what Mario Lopez thinks or does. I need help.

    October 8, 2010 at 11:13 pm | Reply
    • Brad

      Well you could have hit the back button. But apparently you not cared enough to even make a comment on how much you didn't care.

      October 9, 2010 at 9:15 am | Reply
      • mike

        was being sarcastic. my intention was to make a remark...unfortunately the original comment would have been censored. why did you comment? one of his loser fans probably...

        October 9, 2010 at 12:29 pm | Reply

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