People

By Michele Orecklin

SHE IS ONE TOUGH TEUTON

LENI RIEFENSTAHL has an almost Faustian knack for survival. The infamous German filmmaker, who directed the 1934 Nazi propagandist film Triumph of the Will, weathered World War II and the international ostracism that resulted from her association with the Third Reich. Now 97, she suffered relatively minor injuries last week when a helicopter in which she was riding crashed in the Sudan. She is being treated in Germany for a few broken ribs. Riefenstahl was in Africa to revisit the Nuba tribe, which she photographed during the 1970s, a project that drew criticism for its perceived objectification of tribe members. A life this controversial, of course, is tailor-made for Hollywood. Jodie Foster is developing a film about Riefenstahl and plans to play the lead herself.

CHARLES, HIS ROYAL HIGH-NESS

Anyone who ever suffered as a teenager watching his parents try to act cool can perhaps sympathize with Princes William and Harry. Last week their normally phlegmatic father PRINCE CHARLES demonstrated in a brief but very public moment his appreciation for the reggae beat. Visiting Jamaica, the man who would be King became the toast of Kingston as he toured the blighted neighborhood of Trench Town and met with Bob Marley's widow Rita. The prince was anointed with a crown of dreadlocks fastened to a Rastafarian cap, which he donned briefly, and backward, before doffing it because of the heat. Rita Marley said had her husband been there, he would have "burn[ed] a spliff--a big, big spliff."

WHO'S THAT HOMEMAKER?

Whether you're seeking etiquette tips, the best mops for spring cleaning or just some advice on how to overcome the urge to date the entire NBA, you can find it in the latest issue of Good Housekeeping. The how-to guide for homemakers this month features a demurely posed MADONNA on its cover and an interview with the star to coincide with the release of her new film, The Next Best Thing. In the article, the woman who only eight years ago published the pseudo-scandalous book Sex discusses the mellowing effects of motherhood: "I've been naked in every state and country... I've dated the NBA...I dealt with my sexual rebellion. I worked it out of my system." Which no doubt makes her a more appreciative audience for the magazine's Buyer's Guide to state-of-the-art electric ranges.

FEUD OF THE WEEK

NAME: Noel Gallagher AGE: 32 OCCUPATION: Petulant British pop star BEST PUNCH: Oasis guitarist denied reports he was friendly with Williams, dismissing the former boy band member as a "fat dancer."

NAME: Robbie Williams AGE: 26 OCCUPATION: Preening British pop star BEST PUNCH: Sent Gallagher a funeral wreath with a card attached reading, "R.I.P. Heard your latest album. With deepest sympathy."

WINNER: Williams. His body is fine, and his ear is excellent