Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Culture critics Niko Stratis and Mel Woods talk about the Netflix documentary Will & Harper. The film follows actor Will Ferrell and former SNL head writer Harper Steele on a road trip across the U.S. as Harper navigates her new reality living out as a trans woman. Plus, Elamin chats with journalist and book critic Michelle Cyca about why Sally Rooney is the 'it' author of the moment, now that her latest book 'Intermezzo' is out.

Reporter Justin Ling and writer Amil Niazi join Elamin to talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's appearance on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' and whether the PM's appearance could move the dial on his popularity, and up his pop-cultural currency. Plus, TV critic Rafaela Bassili talks about 'My Brilliant Friend' on Crave, and what makes the TV adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s lauded novels so successful.

Mr Beast is currently filming the largest reality show in history, with at least 2 thousand contestants competing for 5 million dollars. Now the production is the subject of a class-action lawsuit, with contestants alleging unsafe work conditions. Elamin Abdelmahmoud speaks with Steven Asarch, a reporter who has spoken with dozens of contestants and crew members. Plus, Elamin is joined by writer and book critic Maris Kreizman to talk about how more than half of the books longlisted for The Giller Prize and the National Book Awards for Fiction this year are published by one publisher, Penguin Random House.

Culture critics Amil Niazi, Mel Woods and Sarah-Tai Black discuss Demi Moore’s powerful performance in the body horror film 'The Substance,' and talk about the cursed roll out of Katy Perry’s album '143'.

‘Paid In Full’ is a new CBC/BBC docuseries that looks at the ways Black artists have been exploited by the music industry over the decades. Elamin is joined by music critic MK Asante and musician Cadence Weapon to discuss the new doc and what it says about the state of the industry today. Plus, at this year's VMAs many stars channelled iconic looks made famous by celebrities like Britney Spears and Madonna. Elamin speaks with Joan Summers from Paper Magazine about why we’re seeing so much deja vu on the red carpet.

Film and TV critics Roxana Hadadi and Rad Simonpillai join guest host Ali Hassan to talk about The Penguin, and whether it lives up to the hype. The miniseries is yet another Batman spin-off, but it looks more like a sequel to The Sopranos than anything in the bat-verse. Plus, music critic A.Harmony talks about LL Cool J’s latest album, The Force.

Music journalists Suzy Exposito and Maura Johnston discuss last weekend’s dramatic onstage fight between members of legendary L.A. alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction and the subsequent cancellation of their remaining North American tour dates. Plus, with news of Australian breaker Raygun’s new ranking as the top female breaker in the world, Elamin is joined by pioneering B-boy Crazy Legs to talk about the Raygun controversy and the larger cultural issues it seems to have exacerbated.

'Shogun' and 'The Bear' were both big winners last night at the Emmys. Meanwhile, at the end of the Toronto International Film Festival, 'The Life of Chuck' was the surprising winner for the People's Choice Award. Today on the show, you're going to hear all the highlights of the Emmy Awards and everything you need to know, now that TIFF is over.

It's the final episode of TIFF in 12, and we're wading into a controversy at the festival -- we're talking about the festival's decision to pause screenings of 'Russians at War' due to 'significant threats' to festival operations and public safety. Elamin is joined by film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart to talk about the film, and the fallout from TIFF's decision.

Elamin is joined by culture critics Pablo The Don, Reanna Cruz and artist Cadence Weapon to talk about Beyoncé’s nomination snub at this year’s Country Music Association Awards, the backlash to the announcement of Kendrick Lamar as the headliner for the Super Bowl Halftime show, and the controversy behind Linkin Park’s new lead singer Emily Armstrong.

In the wake of news that the Juno Awards would be dropping the reggae and children’s music categories among others, music journalist Dalton Higgins and Taes Leavitt of Juno Award-winning children’s music group Splash N Boots discuss how the loss of these awards will impact their communities, and what their elimination says about the future of these genres. Plus, TV critic Roxana Hadadi talks about Netflix’s latest hit, The Perfect Couple, a murder mystery and comedy starring Nicole Kidman, set in a wealthy enclave of Nantucket.

Film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about standing ovations, Nicole Kidman's performance in the erotic thriller 'Babygirl,' and where Canadian films belong at the festival.

Donald Trump has long been known as the presidential candidate that TV created - but now Kamala Harris might be beating him at his own game. The morning after the debate, The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham and Tyler Foggatt join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about how the political showdown made for great television, and Taylor Swift's surprise endorsement.

Film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about their favourite moments at TIFF, and how body horror shows up in films like Nightbitch, The Substance, and David Cronenberg's The Shrouds.

Elamin is joined by film critic Sarah-Tai Black and culture critic David Dennis Jr. to review the new Netflix cop thriller film ‘Rebel Ridge’ and how well it lands its mining of the historic tensions between law enforcement and Black communities. Plus, Elamin speaks with Canadian film producer Daniel Bekerman about ‘The Apprentice,’ a dramatized depiction of Donald Trump’s rise in the 1970s and ‘80s. The film premiered last spring at Cannes, but has faced a number of roadblocks to securing North American distribution.

Film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about the Toronto International Film Festival - the captivating performances in the musical film Emilia Pérez, starring Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Zoe Saldaña. Plus, Rad talks about 'The Bibi Files,' a documentary that uses leaked police interrogation footage of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and how it made its debut at the festival.

Elamin is joined by film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart to talk about opening weekend at TIFF, and two films getting a ton of buzz - 'Anora' and 'Paying For It'.

APTN celebrates its 25th anniversary as a national broadcaster with the launch of APTN Languages, a channel dedicated to programming in 18 different Indigenous languages. APTN co-founder Jim Compton, musician Marek Tyler and culture critic Riley Yesno join Elamin to talk about the legacy of APTN and how its new channel can contribute to revitalizing languages.

Commotion regulars Teri Hart and Radheyan Simonpillai tell you how Tim Burton’s new Beetlejuice sequel measures up to the iconic 1988 original, and they’ll also give you a preview of the biggest, buzziest movies premiering this week at the Toronto International Film Festival.

ELLE Canada recently published an article celebrating 8 influential Canadian women. However after getting some backlash, they made changes to the piece online, and those changes are not sitting well with a lot of people. Elamin chats with Niko Stratis, Michelle Cyca, and Matt Amha about the controversy.

Culture critics Rad Simonpillai and Mel Woods talk about the surprise fall hit The English Teacher, a comedy starring Brian Jordan Alvarez as a high school teacher navigating wokeness and teenage malaise in a modern day classroom. Plus, writer Rachel Handler talks about the cinematic trend of hot moms on the big screen in 2024.

Film critic Rachel Ho and Korean media professor Michelle Cho discuss the Apple TV+ series Pachinko, which follows the hopes and dreams of a Korean family in the grips of Japan's occupation. Plus, Elamin's joined by Matt Hart to talk about the legendary face off between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi on a live hot dog eating contest on Netflix.

There’s a lot of TV coming out over the next few months, more than 100 shows! Elamin chats with TV critics Saloni Gajjar, Emily Longeretta and Kathryn VanArendonk about what to watch for this fall.

Elamin is joined by film critics Rachel Ho, Radheyan Simonpillai and Adam Nayman to discuss the new biopic Reagan, the return of ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ and the Winnipeg-set comedy ‘Universal Language’ being named as the Canadian entry for Best International Feature at next year’s Oscars.

Paralympic athlete John Loeppky will join Elamin to talk about the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 and his one big hope for the games: That the athletes who are competing don’t get described as inspiring. Plus, Niko Stratis and Alison Herman discuss Netflix’s new true crime docu-series Worst Ex Ever.

Culture critics Bee Quammie and Julianne Escobedo Shepherd track the rise and fall of Bennifer 2.0, and what our cultural fascination with their relationship tells us about our hopes for love. Plus, music journalist Christoph Dallach discusses his new book Neu Klang, which documents the surprising political history and cultural influence that arose from the ‘70s German subgenre, Krautrock.

Almost 15 years to the day since Oasis broke up, Noel and Liam Gallagher have announced a reunion. Culture critics Rich Pelley, Maura Johnston, and Oasis cover band member Alex Spears join Elamin to talk about whether the brothers can put their differences aside and pull off a reunion that most fans believe could never happen.

It's not just a stereotype, there's hard data out there that shows men don't read a lot of fiction. Elamin chats with Nathan Maharaj, director of content marketing at Rakuten Kobo and Pavan Sodhan, who reviews every non-fiction book he reads, about why men aren’t picking up novels. Plus, New York Times theatre critic Houman Barekat talks about two plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival based on Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial last year, and how the courtroom drama comes to life on stage.

Culture writers Liisa Ladouceur, Kristy Puchko and Jackson Weaver join the Group Chat to discuss the reboot of the cult-classic gothic thriller ‘The Crow’ and the lingering legacy of the original 1994 version; how music became a big part of the messaging at this week’s Democratic National Convention; and whether Sabrina Carpenter’s new album can keep her Hot Espresso Summer going into the fall.

Writers Tajja Isen and Jael Richardson join guest host Ali Hassan to talk about how book cover designs can be fraught for racialized authors. Plus, the huge success of 'Tiger King' put the director of the series, Eric Goode, in the spotlight as an animal rights activist. So in order to get the access he wanted with his interview subjects for his next project “Chimp Crazy,” he hired someone else to pretend to be the director. Sam Adams, writer and senior editor at Slate, discusses the ethical issues the new HBO docuseries raises.

Chappell Roan is the latest celebrity to call out fans for crossing the line, for getting too personal in the comments section and invading her privacy in public, stuff that many people believe is just the price of fame. Culture critics Niko Stratis and Tyler Foggatt along with musician Eliza McLamb weigh in – on what is normal fan behaviour, and what - if anything - artists can do about it.

Film critic Teri Hart and author Devin Gordon join Elamin to unpack the legacy of talk show icon Phil Donahue, who died this week at the age of 88. Plus, Slovakia’s right-wing government recently ousted the directors of its national art gallery and theater in a move that critics are calling a politically motivated purge. Musician and Eastern European historian Gregor Kwiatkowski explains why far-right governments in the region are clamping down on cultural institutions.

Culture critic Fran Hoepfner talks about Anna Marie Tendler’s new memoir Men Have Called Her Crazy, from the raw and vulnerable scenes from her hospitalization to the absence of her ex-husband John Mulaney from the book. Plus, film critic Rad Simonpillai talks to Elamin about whether Alien: Romulus lives up to the mantle of the iconic franchise.

Music writers Niko Stratis, Rosie Long Decter, and Rollie Pemberton join the Friday Group Chat to talk about Post Malone’s new country album, Ice Spice running full-length commercials at her concerts, and the fallout from the foiled plot to attack the Taylor Swift show in Vienna, as her Eras tour continues.

Canadian union actors are angered after watching U.S. actor John Krasinski appear in a new Rogers ad. The frustration stems from a two year labour dispute between some actors and Canadian ad agencies. Actor and screenwriter Fiona Highet joins Elamin to explain why the Krasinski commercial is so controversial. Plus, culture critic David Dennis Jr. discusses the critical reactions to ‘Divorce in the Black’, the latest movie from Tyler Perry -- and the long standing criticisms that have surrounded his films.

A new biopic explores the rise and fall of Miss Cleo, the controversial queen of the psychic hotline era. Podcaster and comedian Ashley Ray joins Elamin to talk about whether the backlash against her was appropriate -- and Miss Cleo's place in popular culture. Also, Dublin-based culture critic Louise Bruton talks about the political and cultural influence of hip-hop trio Kneecap, who rap primarily in Irish, and the new film that retells their origin story. .

Sadaf Ahsan and CT Jones join Elamin to discuss the box office hit It Ends With Us, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. Plus, culture writer Kathryn Van Arendonk talks about the hype surrounding the third season of HBO’s Industry, a fast-paced show about young professionals in the finance business.

The Summer Olympics in Paris had something for everyone – even if you couldn’t care less about sports, the memes were golden and the celebrities were out in full force. The group chat wraps up the Olympics in Paris.

Culture critics Dalton Higgins and Danae Peart and DJ and MC Walshy Fire join guest host Rad Simonpillai for a conversation about one of dancehall music's greatest names - Vybz Kartel. The group chat discusses his recent release from prison, his music and cultural influence.

Celebrities are lining up to show their support for Kamala Harris, but will those endorsements translate into votes? Brea Baker joins Commotion guest host Rad Simonpillai to talk about the celebrity glow emanating from Kamala’s campaign – and whether there could be a downside on election day . Also, film critic Sarah-Tai Black & CBC Entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver review the prison drama ‘Sing Sing,’ based on the real-life rehabilitation theatre program at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

Music journalist Maura Johnston joins guest host Rad Simonpillai to talk about 'Dirty Pop,' a Netflix documentary that explores Lou Pearlman's life, the mastermind and con man behind boy bands like N'Sync and Backstreet Boys. Plus, Stephen Yan from ‘Wok with Yan’ is making his first public appearance in 30 years. The Toronto Star's food reporter Karon Liu talks about growing up watching Stephen Yan, one of Canada's first celebrity chefs.

Guest host Rad Simonpillai is joined by culture critics Sean T Collins and Alison Herman to respond to the season finale of HBO’s ‘House of The Dragon’ and discuss whether this prequel to ‘Game of Thrones’ has what it takes to stand on its own. Plus, film critic Rachel Ho explains why director Sean Wang’s debut feature, ‘Didi,’ is a coming-of-age film like no other.

With this year being the 25th anniversary of the release of The Matrix, Elamin is joined by film critics Bilge Ebiri and Rad Simonpillai to look at its impact on film then, and pop culture now.

Elamin is joined by CBC sports journalist Shireen Ahmed, culture critic Mel Woods and the CBC's senior entertainment reporter Eli Glasner to talk about some of this week's big stories in arts and culture, including Robert Downey Jr return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, and the women's soccer quarter final at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Music journalists Suzy Exposito and Reanna Cruz unpack the unlikely success of Cigarettes After Sex, the enigmatic and extremely chilled Texan indie-pop band who are selling out arenas this summer and racking up Spotify streams that rival the world’s biggest pop stars. Plus, sports journalist Adam Skolnick talks about the Olympics paradox: why is surfing—one of the most exciting daredevil sports on the planet—so boring to watch on television?

How are you watching the Summer Games in Paris? You’ve got streaming platforms offering more live coverage than ever, and Olympians are creating their own content on TikTok. Culture writers Mel Woods and Morgan Campbell join Elamin to look at how we’re watching - and how it’s changing the Games.

Olympic FOMO is your daily Olympics recap, in 20 minutes or less. Besties Mark and Jem go behind-the-scenes bringing you the wins, losses, and hot goss from the Athlete's Village. They’ve got next-level access to Paris 2024 so you never have FOMO (fear of missing Olympics) again.More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/93XjKZot

There’s a very messy and public fight between Hybe and the CEO of its subsidiary label ADOR, Min Hee-jin, who produces the popular K-pop group NewJeans. Michelle Cho and Jennifer Zhan look at what this feud says about the high stakes of the K-pop economy and the future of NewJeans. Plus, Afrobeats superstar Rema continues to reinvent himself with his new album 'HEIS'. Music journalist Matt Amha talks about why this album is significant not only for the artist, but also for upholding African heritage and Rema's musical legacy.

'All Fours' by Miranda July follows an artist in her mid-40s as she navigates the breakdown of her marriage, and how perimenopause changes her relationship with her body. Culture critics Heather O’Neill and Jennifer Wilson talk to Elamin about why this novel is resonating so widely with readers. Plus, it’s been more than a decade since video game giant EA Sports put out a game for college football, and the hype surrounding its latest game in the series has been intense. Gamer Camille Salazar Hadaway joins Elamin to discuss the buzz behind the hard-hitting and surreal EA College Football 25.

Culture critics Rachel Ho, Radheyan Simonpillai, and Teri Hart join Elamin to discuss Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s blockbuster match-up in Deadpool & Wolverine, and whether the film can revive the MCU’s flagging fortunes. And with the Summer Games in Paris kicking off this week, they’ll also discuss the myriad ways in which the games are trying to keep audiences watching.