Real estate agent ends Jennings’ ‘Jeopardy’ run

New York (ap) — “Jeopardy” whiz Ken Jennings finally met his match after a 74-game run as a pop culture icon who made brainiacs cool, beaten by a woman whose own 8-year-old daughter asked for his autograph when they first met.

As someone who always has prepared his own tax returns, Jennings was tripped up in Final Jeopardy by this answer: Most of this firm’s 70,000 seasonal white-collar employees work only four months a year.

The correct reply: “What is H&R Block?” But Jennings guessed Federal Express, ending his remarkable run as the biggest winner in TV game show history with a haul of $2,520,700.

Having an accountant-friend who’s nearly impossible to reach at tax time paid off big-time for his conqueror, California real estate agent Nancy Zerg, who ousted the baby-faced killer competitor in the episode airing Tuesday.

During his streak that began June 2, Jennings usually had opponents so thoroughly beaten that the Final Jeopardy question was meaningless to the outcome. But Zerg was within striking range at that point, with $10,000 to Jennings’ $14,400. Her correct reply gave Zerg $14,001 to Jennings’ $8,799.

But H&R Block, based in Kansas City, Mo., has offered Jennings a silver lining. The company capitalized on the chance for a little publicity by offering him free tax and financial services for life.

“If he had to lose, it was nice that he lost to us and we could offer him something,” David Byers, senior vice president for tax operations, said Tuesday.

New Princess Di tapes air

London — Princess Diana was self-conscious about her intelligence, or lack of it, according to videotapes broadcast in the United States.

“I was always told by my family that I was the thick one, that I was stupid and that my brother was the clever one and I was always so conscious of that. I used to go to headmistress crying, saying I wish I wasn’t so stupid,” she is heard saying on a tape made by her voice coach, Peter Settelen, in the early 1990s. Settelen made about 20 tapes of the princess.

Like much else in the tapes broadcast Monday by the NBC network, it wasn’t a bombshell revelation. Diana had said as much in 1987 during a hospital visit, when she told a patient: “I’m as thick as a plank.”

Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Elton John on the Beckhams

London — Elton John has blamed former pop star Victoria Beckham for problems in her high-profile marriage to soccer star David Beckham.

But John, a close friend of the celebrity couple and a godfather to their two sons, told a British magazine the pair’s relationship was back on track.

The Beckhams’ marriage came under the spotlight earlier this year when David Beckham’s former personal assistant Rebecca Loos went public with claims she was having an affair with the England captain.

John told Heat magazine that Victoria should have moved with the Real Madrid star when he relocated to the Spanish capital.

“I think they should have gone together as a family,” John said.

Taking offense to ‘Alexander’

Athens, Greece — A group of Greek lawyers angry at the portrayal of Alexander the Great as a bisexual in the Hollywood movie “Alexander” suspended legal action after conceding they hadn’t watched the film.

Court officials said the group of 25 lawyers withdrew Tuesday a request to delay the movie’s opening in Greece.

“Alexander,” directed by Oliver Stone, stars Colin Farrell as the warrior king. The film, which opened to mixed reviews in the United States, is set for release Friday.

The lawyers argue there is no historical evidence supporting claims that Alexander had male lovers. They had demanded the movie’s release be delayed until its producers agreed to include a disclaimer explaining that the film is a fictional portrayal of Alexander’s life.

Tina Turner still rockin’

Geneva — Tina Turner, who celebrated her 65th birthday last week, is enjoying her quiet life in Switzerland, but reportedly has no plans to retire from performing.

The rock diva completed her final world tour four years ago, but still gives live performances in Switzerland. Her latest was Saturday night, the day after her birthday, the Swiss weekly Schweizer Illustrierte said Tuesday.

Turner will star as the Indian goddess Shakti in Ismail Merchant’s new film, “The Goddess,” and she recently released a new CD. Her screen credits also include 1985’s “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” with Mel Gibson.

“Switzerland is wonderful,” Turner told the magazine. “I love the people, the lakes, the mountains — simply everything.”

Godzilla gets star on Walk of Fame

Los Angeles (AP) — Godzilla received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, 50 years after he stomped onto movie screens and hours before the premiere of his latest film, “Godzilla: Final Wars.”

Producer Shogo Tomiyama appeared at a ceremony outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where the 2,271st star is located.

On screen, the fire-breathing sea creature was spawned by nuclear weapons testing. He made his appearance in Japanese theaters in November 1954 — while the United States was conducting nuclear tests in the South Pacific.

Brits bash ‘Baywatch,’ hail Homer Simpson

The British TV-industry magazine Broadcast recently asked buyers of foreign programs to name the best and worst U.S. imports. “The Simpsons” topped the list of best shows from across the pond. “Dallas,” “24,” “MAS*H” and “The Larry Sanders Show” round out the top five.

The worst list included “Baywatch,” “The Anna Nicole Show,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “The Jerry Springer Show” and “Manimal.