YouTube wants to question Comedy Central comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as part of its defense against claims that the online video-sharing site illegally shows snippets of sports and entertainment videos.

YouTube says it needs depositions from more than 30 people to fight legal challenges that "threaten to silence communications by hundreds of millions of people across the globe who exchange information, news and entertainment" through its Web site.

The company said it also intends to show that the plaintiffs themselves had put their own works on YouTube or permitted others to do the same.

YouTube is also seeking to depose Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone, CEO Philippe Dauman, general counsel Michael Fricklas and various executives with MTV, Comedy Central and other Viacom's networks.