MUST-SMELL TV: Fans of John Waters may remember that his Eighties film "Polyester," starring Divine, was released in Odorama, offering viewers a sample of the scent of the late actor's bodily emissions. Before that there was Smell-O-Vision in the Sixties. Now TV Guide is going to help readers sniff their way through the May 3 episode of NBC's "My Name Is Earl." In the next issue of the magazine, which hits newsstands Thursday, a scent card (with six different scents) will release aromas pertaining to the sitcom's story line. On-air graphics will prompt viewers to rub numbered boxes on the card that will release the appropriate scent at different points throughout the show. Scents include new-car smell, obnoxious cologne and Oreo cookies, the exclusive sponsor of the card. Pete Haeffner, TV Guide's senior vice president and publisher, declined to provide terms of the deal with Oreo — or with NBC and 20th Century Fox, which also had a hand in the cross-promotion. But it appears NBC may have the most to gain, since its Thursday-night ratings reportedly just took a turn for the worse. On April 12, the Thursday lineup of "My Name Is Earl," "The Office," "30 Rock," "Scrubs" and "ER" resulted in NBC's worst showing during the September-to-May season since People Meters' debut in 1987 (People Meters is a device that measures TV viewing habits). As for TV Guide, ad pages are up 35 percent, or approximately 68 pages, in the first quarter of this year, from the same period one year ago. — Amy Wicks
PACKING LIGHT: In Harper's Bazaar's May feature canvassing three "chic women" on how and what they pack for a summer vacation, it's not immediately apparent that two out of the three shared a different type of, well, baggage: They were both married to Elle international creative director Gilles Bensimon. Kelly Killoren Bensimon, who split from Bensimon last year, and Elle Macpherson, who was married to him in the late Eighties, may have shared a taste in romantic partners, but they diverge on their packing tips. Macpherson tells Bazaar the "worst travel disaster" (their words) is beauty product leaks. "To avoid any spillage, I pack toiletries in Ziploc bags," she says. Whereas for Killoren Bensimon, the magazine says: "Ziploc bags stay in the kitchen" — she favors Prada and LeSportsac pouches. Irreconcilable differences? (For more on Killoren Bensimon, see Fashion Scoops, page 12). — Irin Carmon
PACKING LIGHT: In Harper's Bazaar's May feature canvassing three "chic women" on how and what they pack for a summer vacation, it's not immediately apparent that two out of the three shared a different type of, well, baggage: They were both married to Elle international creative director Gilles Bensimon. Kelly Killoren Bensimon, who split from Bensimon last year, and Elle Macpherson, who was married to him in the late Eighties, may have shared a taste in romantic partners, but they diverge on their packing tips. Macpherson tells Bazaar the "worst travel disaster" (their words) is beauty product leaks. "To avoid any spillage, I pack toiletries in Ziploc bags," she says. Whereas for Killoren Bensimon, the magazine says: "Ziploc bags stay in the kitchen" — she favors Prada and LeSportsac pouches. Irreconcilable differences? (For more on Killoren Bensimon, see Fashion Scoops, page 12). — Irin Carmon
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