As Roy Wood Jr. Departs from ‘The Daily Show,’ Salacious Details Reveal Roy Wood Jr. Is a Real Delight

Any time a high-profile figure in entertainment abruptly leaves a job they’ve held for many years, it’s inevitable that staffers and former coworkers will come forward with stories about their character behind-the-scenes. As Roy Wood Jr. leaves his longtime role as a correspondent on The Daily Show, his traumatized colleagues are predictably coming out of the woodwork to lament what a nightmare it will be to work without him.

After serving eight years as The Daily Show’s most reliable correspondent, Wood is hanging up his microphone and telling bosses that, if they want him back, they’re going to have to let him sit in the big chair. "I can't come up with Plan B is while still working with Plan A," Wood said of his decision, noting that, "The job of correspondent...it's not really one where you can juggle multiple things. I think eight years is a good run." Wood will leave the show on good terms, and, though he does not publicly call himself a contender for the hosting gig, he says that he would consider a return to The Daily Show if offered the top job. "If you're offered the chance to host The Daily Show at any point in your life … you have to stop for a second and consider that," Wood coyly admitted.

Meanwhile, the comedy world is reacting to Wood walking away from his most recognizable role like a group of good friends consoling one of their own after a breakup – Comedy Central didn’t deserve him, anyway.

The immediate reaction among Daily Show fans on the internet to Wood's decision to leave has been to harangue the decision-makers at the satirical news show who are letting the biggest star left on a once-great series walk away while they twiddle their thumbs and soft pitch inferior permanent host prospects. Wood was the senior-most contributor on the show prior to his departure, and his proven track record of balancing poignant political commentary with punchy parody should have placed him at the top of the list of successors for Trevor Noah.

Instead, The Daily Show will return with a fresh batch of guest hosts for the endless audition carousel on October 16th, all while lacking its strongest supporting character. Maybe Wood could have been the frontrunner if he just threw out a few "emotional truths."