Kiss passes girlfriend test

New York Adam Sandler says on-screen romances are hard on real-life relationships, but his fiancee Jacqueline Titone was fine when she saw him smooch Emily Watson in “Punch Drunk Love.”

“It was the first time I’ve kissed a girl in a movie where I was sitting next to my girlfriend and she actually wasn’t mad at me,” Sandler, 35, told the New York Post.

Sandler’s co-stars have included Drew Barrymore, Joey Lauren Adams and Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. Winona Ryder appears in his film “Mr. Deeds,” which opens Friday.

Political insider

New York George Stephanopoulos says his experience as a White House insider will help him host a Sunday-morning talk show.

The ABC News show, “This Week,” will benefit by having a host who knows how politicians are prepped for talk shows, Stephanopoulos told Time magazine in the issue on newsstands today.

“Because I spent so much time doing that, I think I’ll be able to recognize pretty quickly when I’m being spun,” said Stephanopoulos, who worked for Bill Clinton’s campaign and presidency.

Stephanopoulos, already a panelist on the program, will replace Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts shortly after Labor Day.

On the road and at home

New York Atria Books will publish two books by country singer Tim McGraw.

The first book is an illustrated behind-the-scenes look at life on and off the road. It will be published in November, to coincide with the release of McGraw’s latest album, the publisher said Thursday.

The second book will be a fatherhood memoir, including McGraw’s thoughts on being the son of baseball star Tug McGraw and what it means to be a famous husband and father.

McGraw, 35, and his wife, singer Faith Hill, have three young daughters.

“My family keeps me focused,” McGraw said. “They are the most important thing to me. Before them, it was just about making music.”

‘Dream’ date with Britney

Washington Britney Spears doesn’t know it, but she’ll perform next month at a fund-raiser for Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif.

That may be a bit of an exaggeration. But Bono is hosting a fund-raiser in a skybox at Washington’s MCI Center political action committees are asked for $2,000 donations where the pop star will bring her “Dream Within a Dream” tour July 10.

Why Britney? Bono’s chief of staff, Frank Cullen, said it was mostly serendipity. Bono’s children will be in town next month, Spears was scheduled to perform, a friend of the congresswoman’s offered her use of the box the next thing they knew, said Cullen, they were having a fund-raiser.

But won’t some Republicans be annoyed? Won’t Spears’ double entendres and skimpy dress raise at least a few hackles? Not to worry, said Cullen: “This is the kind of thing that is viewed much more as an entertainment event than a political event.”