Jon Stewart Daily Show correspondent claims host told him to 'f**k off' for complaining about joke he found racially insensitive

Wyatt Cenac was the only black writer on staff during the 2011 dispute.

John Stewart and Wyatt Cenac (Getty)

A former correspondent for The Daily Show has spoken out about his problematic relationship with outgoing host Jon Stewart after voicing his concerns over what he considered a racist segment of the show

Wyatt Cenac worked on the show for more than four years, and was the only black contributor to the show at the time.

He appeared on Mark Maron's WTF podcast and discussed how difficult he found his relationship with the host, saying “I really wanted to connect with him in that sort of paternal way, and that wasn’t his thing.”

He details an uncomfortable situation where he says he felt he had to confront Stewart over a segment involving racism in 2011.

Cenac was bothered with a segment where he claims Stewart used a ‘black voice’. Cenac says that Stewart wanted to follow-up with a bit where he suggested all his impressions are racist, which Cenac considered ‘overly defensive’.

Stewart reportedly said: “What are you trying to say? There’s a tone in your voice.” When Cenac aired his concerns, Stewart allegedly told him to “f**k off” and started screaming at the writer, according to Cenac.

“He stormed out,” Cenac said. “and I didn’t know if I had been fired.”

Cenac discussed the difficulties in being the only black writer on staff, and how he was forced to represent his community simply by being there.

“I think that’s the burden a lot of people have to have when you are ‘the one’. You represent something bigger than yourself whether you want to or not.”

The Independent has contacted Stewart for comment.