A former correspondent and writer for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” has disclosed that he and its host, Jon Stewart, engaged in a heated argument about a segment perceived as racially insensitive. In his recounting, the correspondent, Wyatt Cenac, who is black, said Mr. Stewart became defensive and frequently shouted expletives.

The dispute, which Mr. Cenac detailed this week in a podcast interview, is more than just a behind-the-scenes blowup at a popular TV program. It is in jarring contrast to the reputation of “The Daily Show,” a news satire that has had a wide berth to address matters of race, and of Mr. Stewart, who is one of the few white performers to have tackled these issues frequently and unsparingly.

Producers at “The Daily Show” say that they are constantly re-examining how they create their comedy segments and that they are aware of “blind spots” in their process.

But Mr. Cenac’s account has nonetheless surfaced at an especially awkward time as Mr. Stewart prepares to step down as its host on Aug. 6 after a 16-year run.