People

By Rebecca Winters Keegan

FIRST LOOK IF YOU KNEW IDI LIKE HE KNOWS IDI ...

How does one prepare to become one of modern history's most notorious dictators? "I learned the accordion," says FOREST WHITAKER, who plays the former Ugandan despot Idi Amin in the upcoming political drama The Last King of Scotland. The film follows a Scottish doctor who becomes Amin's personal physician. Whitaker also studied Swahili, met Amin's family and some of his former generals and visited the East African nation's palaces and temples. "Most people think of [Amin] as a monster," says the actor. "But he was funny, charming, passionate and flamboyant." Maybe. Since he's responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Ugandans, though, it's hard to imagine him as good dinner company.

WHERE NO STONE HAS BEEN BEFORE

WILLIAM SHATNER has always given of himself to the people--but never something quite this close to his heart. The Boston Legal star sold his kidney stone for $25,000 to raise money for the charity Habitat for Humanity. Captain Kirk's renal calculus was snapped up by online casino Goldenpalace.com which added the specimen to its collection of oddities, including a partially eaten sandwich thought to contain the image of the Virgin Mary. "This is a bold new addition to our fleet," said the casino's CEO, evidently a longtime Trekkie. Shatner says his stone is no mere lump of calcium. "If you subjected it to extreme heat, it might turn out to be a diamond."

THE BALLAD OF JARED AND YOKO

Frankly, we wouldn't want that guy lurking around our house either. YOKO ONO is raising a protest about Chapter 27, a movie starring JARED LETO as John Lennon's assassin, Mark David Chapman. The Beatle's widow checked to see if she could prevent filming of the fac,ade of the Dakota in New York City, the spot where Lennon was shot and where she still lives, but filmmakers obtained the necessary city permits and started work there last week. "She thinks the whole concept is terrible and offensive," says an Ono spokesman. "The filmmakers are fulfilling an assassin's dream." Leto, shown here clutching copies of Catcher in the Rye and Double Fantasy, as Chapman did the day he shot Lennon in 1980, co-stars with Lindsay Lohan as a Lennon fan. And yes, the teen idol has packed on the poundage, George Clooney-style, to portray the deranged loner. Perhaps he has seen what a little potbelly can do for a heartthrob's career.

THEY CAN TALK! Old supermodels used to just retire and catch up on eating. But now they have another career option besides having Rod Stewart's children--TV.

RACHEL HUNTER

Show: WE's Style Me (new) Concept: Would-be celebrity stylists compete to dress her Model behavior: Proved she still has the bod in risque Stacy's Mom rock video; now must clothe it

JANICE DICKINSON

Show: Oxygen's The Janice Dickinson Project (new) Concept: An industry vet opens a modeling agency Model behavior: The cruelest judge from Tyra Banks' show inspires more tears this spring

HEIDI KLUM

Show: Bravo's Project Runway Concept: Aspiring clothes designers compete Model behavior: Miraculously makes both German and pregnancy seem sexy

TYRA BANKS

Shows: Syndicated Tyra Banks Show and UPN's America's Next Top Model Concepts: Oprah for teens and Survivor for pretty girls Model behavior: Complains about her cellulite. Oprah should sock her