Bob Saget appreciates the irony in the fact that while his erstwhile "Full House" castmate Dave Coulier is heading out on a CleanGuys(cq) of Comedy tour, Saget himself has become known for standup that's anything but clean. But that's going to change. Some.

"I don't curse for any purpose except if I find it funny in the story I'm telling," insists Saget. "I'm trying not to curse as much as I was. I get a lot of 20-year-old college students, and I understand they've turned it into a drinking game — to take a drink every time I curse. I don't want anyone medevac'ed out of my shows."

Saget, whose humor can be sampled at bobsaget.com, has been keeping up a heavy schedule of standup dates since winding his successful Broadway run in "The Drowsy Chaperone" last fall. In between, he's been busy with activities on behalf of the Scleroderma Research Foundation (srfcure.org), for which he serves on the board. It's been 14 years since the disease claimed the life of his sister Gay, and he remains devoted to the cause of finding a cure. Wednesday night (4/16) is the Cool Comedy — Hot Cuisine gala fundraising event at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, where Bob will serve as host.

"John Mayer is going to do a 30-minute acoustic set. My friends Jeffrey Ross and Sarah Silverman are doing sets of comedy. My friend Adam Carolla has graciously agreed to do the auction with me." Entertainment luminaries on hand for the event, sponsored by Actelion Pharmaceuticals, will include his fellow board members Dana Delany and Caryn Zucker (with TV chieftain husband Jeff).

Saget and his Scleroderma Research Foundation associates "are driven to the point it's a religious experience," says the star, who says that the foundation supplies research funding at five or six institutions, including Johns Hopkins University, where he recently visited. "When my sister died, they couldn't even diagnose it. Now they're treating it with different cocktails of medication … There is a lot more energy going into finding a cure. But we're under-funded and under-known."

MARIO 2, KARINA 1: "There is nothing romantic, it's purely professional," says Karina Smirnoff, denying — again — rumors that have her pas de deux with R&B singer Mario quick-stepping from "Dancing With the Stars" into their personal lives. "I think this started on a slow day in the press, but it's flattering in a way," she adds, "because it means people are believing the man-woman romantic relationship we've created on the dance floor." The beautiful Ukraine-born world dance champ did wind up with a "Dancing With the Stars" partner named Mario as her real-life boyfriend — Mario Lopez, from three seasons ago.

She credits her current partner for having "a natural rhythm. He moves very well." She saw him doing some hot hip action onstage at a concert, she says, and decided that it simply had to be incorporated into the samba number they'll be performing tonight (4/14), so get ready for "a lot of hips." She adds, "He's such a determined, committed competitor. I didn't get much rehearsal time with Floyd (boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., her partner last season), but with Mario, he wants to win, and he's going for it 100 percent. It's exciting." Also exciting, she says, the two did a radio guesting with Stevie Wonder on Friday that'll be seen on tonight's (4/14) edition of "DWTS."

SPEAKING OF DANCING: It was a movie phenomenon, a sequel, even a reality show. Now "Dirty Dancing," the stage musical, is in the casting phase for a national tour that'll hit Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco — and then hit Broadway in '09, if all works out as is hoped.

FOR THOSE WHO THINK JUNG: Just when you thought the reality TV world must be tapped out of ideas, along comes "LA. Shrink," in which four hot young women coping with boyfriends, jobs, gal pals and assorted family junk will pour out their problems and neuroses to a handsome psycho-therapist — discussing everything from promiscuity to backstabbing ex-BFFs. The gals are being cast now, and remember, this is a reality show. Casting forces are also looking at candidates to occupy the shrink's chair. Psychiatrists are preferred, according to casting notices, but we're guessing they'd look at psychologists, too, if they were groovy enough. Producers are requesting that agents "don't submit anyone who doesn't have a license." Right. And one Hollywood wag adds, they have to be able to drive.

With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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