Daily Show writer Josh Lieb’s literary heroes include Charles Dickens and Danny Pinkwater.

Question: Who are your heroes?

Josh Lieb: Boy. I don’t know if I ever thought of that before. My heroes – I like, as far as writers go, I like Charles Dickens, and Danny Pinkwater. I like Casey Jones, although he was only kind of real, but I like that perseverance. I like the person who goes down with the ship in an attempt to save every one else. I like Brooks Robinson, even though I never got to see him play except on video tapes. I was a big Orioles fan growing up. I can list a lot of authors I like and people I admire, but I don’t know if I would call them heroes. I just don’t know anything about them. I don’t know if Ellen Raskin is a hero of mine, I know I like her books, but she could be an awful person for all I know. I think she’s probably dead now. I like Louise Fitzhugh. I like someone who lives that sort of – who dares to live that unconventional life and write that well. So, I’ll put her down as a hero. I don’t know; who’s your hero?

Recorded on:  October 9, 2009