Joseph Heller: Last News

J. Kim Murphy Robert Gottlieb, an editor extraordinaire who worked with writers as varied as Toni Morrison, John le Carré, Michael Crichton, Robert Caro and Bill Clinton, died Wednesday at a hospital in Manhattan. He was 92. Gottlieb’s death was confirmed to the New York Times by his wife, actor Maria Tucci. Working at publishers Simon & Schuster and Alfred A. Knopf, Gottlieb’s impressive record of shepherding manuscripts into well-regarded, sometimes bestselling and award-winning works earned him a towering reputation among literary elite. John Cheever, Joseph Heller, Doris Lessing, Chaim Potok and Ray Bradbury were among his clients, along with Katharine Graham, the once publisher of the Washington Post.

Robert Gottlieb, the legendary editor at Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf and The New Yorker who helped shape the work of many of the world’s greatest writers over the past six decades, has died, according to Knopf and The New Yorker. He was 92.

Wednesday evening’s episode, contestant Karen Morris made a bad choice with her bet when it came to the final rounds of the trivia show — and she lost big time.Morris was in the lead with earnings of $21,800, while the other players had scored $7,100 and $6,400.During the Double Jeopardy segment, Morris opted for a huge bet — $10,000 — in an attempt to emerge as the victor of the game.“This artist the younger was working on yet another portrait of Henry VIII when he died in 1543,” host Ken Jennings said in giving her the clue, and the veterinary student, head shaking, struggled to come up with an answer before time ran out.“I’m sorry — Hans Holbein the Younger, the painter,” Jennings said, to which Morris responded in a whisper: “OK.”When it came down to the Final Jeopardy round, the category was “American Novelists,” and the Virginia native had just $11,400 to her name.The clue: “He served with an airman named Yohannan in World War II, and despite what readers might think, he enjoyed his service.”The correct answer was “Catch-22” author Joseph Heller, and Jennings underscored the importance of Morris’ forthcoming response, saying, “She had a big lead before tangling with that last Daily Double — she needs to get Heller her.”Unfortunately, a blank-faced Morris, who had wagered $6,001, wrote Hunter S. Thompson — the “gonzo journalist” known for “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” With a shrug, she unceremoniously dropped to $5,399 and a third-place finish.Fans couldn’t help but scoff and roll their virtual eyes at Morris’ blunder.“Karen Morris might be the dumbest #jeopardy player in history.

A "Jeopardy!" contestant is going viral this week after making what many fans are considering one of the biggest blunders in the show's history. On Wednesday's episode, a woman named Karen had a huge lead over the other two contestants as they neared the end of the second round – she had earned $21,800, while her competitors had earned $7,100 and $6,400. When there were only a few clues left on the Double Jeopardy board, Karen found a Daily Double in the "Hans, Solo" category.

By Ellise Shafer