Mario Lopez is hooking up with the CW.

We hope Karina Smirnoff doesn't find out.

JUST KIDDING! The CW is actually a television network and this is great news for Lopez fans: The man who used to be known solely for his portrayal of A.C. Slater has inked a talent holding deal with the station.

The pact calls for CW to either develop a project for Lopez or cast him in one of its 2007-08 pilots.

The CW project will be Lopez's first primetime scripted show since 1998's USA Network drama Pacific Blue. It was a show watched by fewer viewers than any post-Seinfeld series with Jason Alexander - no, not the one that that's friends with Shar Jackson.

We're happy for Mario. We were afraid he'd follow in the naughty footsteps of former co-star Dustin Diamond.