Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

The hit narrative podcast Heavyweight by Jonathan Goldstein is back after being cancelled by Spotify a few years ago. Plus, Venus and Serena Williams jump into podcasting with their new show, Stockton Street, available exclusively on X.com. Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with culture critic Nicholas Quah and author Jael Richardson about what these shows say about where we’re at with podcasting right now.And, reporter Matilda Källén talks about Sweden's controversial list of 100 things that make up their cultural canon, which includes Pippi Longstocking and IKEA, but excludes ABBA and Swedish food.

CBC Entertainment's Jackson Weaver, film critic Radheyan Simonpillai, and poet El Jones join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film 'One Battle After Another,' a prescient action-comedy about a family stuck in a political war, and Apple TV+’s controversial decision to postpone its series 'The Savant.'

Elamin is joined by Kennya Giselle Rivera Sanabria and Reanna Cruz to look back on Bad Bunny’s historic 31 day residency in Puerto Rico (which ended this past Saturday) and what its success might mean for Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico, moving forward. Plus, Elamin is joined by culture critic Matt Amha to discuss the new graphic novel ‘Fela: Music Is The Weapon’ and how Fela Kuti’s legacy intersects with present day pop culture.

Less than a week after being yanked off the air for comments he made about Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel is back. But will he be muzzled? TV critic Eric Deggans and comedian Ashley Ray join Elamin to talk about Kimmel's return to late night.

Film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Sarah-Tai Black join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the film 'Him,' a Jordan Peele-produced horror film about American football culture, and the new Netflix drama Black Rabbit starring Jason Bateman and Jude Law. Plus, Toronto critic Joshua Chong discusses the Michael Jackson jukebox musical, ‘MJ: The Musical’ (which recently made its Toronto debut) and how it grapples – or doesn’t – with the more controversial aspects of Jackson’s legacy.

Elamin is joined by culture critic Pablo The Don and CBC Music journalist Kelsey Adams to discuss Cardi B’s new album ‘Am I The Drama?’, the rollout in support of its release, and how the album compares to her 2018 debut. Plus, with four big productions of Samuel Beckett’s iconic play 'Waiting For Godot' being mounted within a single year, theatre critic Aisling Murphy joins Elamin to talk about why the play is having a moment, and the play's staying power.  

Walt Disney-owned ABC says it will indefinitely stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! after remarks the late-night host made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to CBC Senior Writer Jackson Weaver, TV critic Eric Deggans and culture writer Alyssa Mercante about the role of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in this moment and how it's sparking a debate over free speech.

'Task,' starring Mark Ruffalo, is HBO’s latest big Sunday night show -- and the gritty drama is by the creator of 'Mare of Easttown,' which became must-watch TV when it aired in the same slot a few years ago. Critics Rachel Ho and Kathryn VanArendonk join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about whether 'Task' lives up to expectations.

The winner of this year's Polaris Music Prize is Yves Jarvis and his album, 'All Cylinders.' Elamin is joined by 2022 Polaris Music Prize winner Cadence Weapon and culture critic Riley Yesno to react to this year’s results and assess the awards’ value as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Remembering Robert Redford. The Iconic actor, legendary director, and unparalleled champion of Indie filmmaking has died. Teri Hart describes his contributions to cinema, and how he made the world a better place. Plus, culture critics Thomas Leblanc and Joyita Sengupta join Elamin to talk about SSENSE’s recent financial woes, and how the Montreal brand became a major player in the fashion industry.

Music journalists Tabassum Siddiqui, Rosie Long Decter, and Suzy Exposito discuss the new documentary, 'Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery,' which explores the groundbreaking legacy of Sarah McLachlan’s '90s-era all-female travelling music festival, and why revisiting its story is particularly meaningful in the current cultural moment.  

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about Hamnet winning People's Choice, films they think should've gotten more attention, and reaction to the festival as a whole - and whether TIFF might be too celebrity focused. 

The morning after the Emmy Awards, TV critics J. Kelly Nestruck and Roxana Hadadi talk about the big winners and snubs with guest host Amil Niazi. Plus, a new online trend called 'The Great Lock In' is creating buzz on TikTok. It’s a three month commitment to a rigid routine ahead of the New Year following summer’s indulgence and lack of structure. Is this just another glow up trend or a social response to something greater? Independent journalist and online culture critic, Taylor Lorenz talks to guest host Amil Niazi about what it means to lock in and the Gen Z-driven obsession with self-optimization. 

Teri Hart and Radheyan Simonpillai join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about some of the performances getting a lot of attention at this year's festival, including Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You,' and Dwayne Johnson in 'The Smashing Machine.' Then, they talk about some of their favourite international films in the line up - 'It Was Just An Accident' and 'No Other Choice.' 

Music journalist Maura Johnston, culture writer Richie Assaly, and Leila Latif join the Group Chat to talk about the long-awaited sequel to Rob Reiner’s classic rock mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap; the new album from pop mega-star Ed Sheeran; Justin Bieber’s surprise sequel to his surprise album; and Lizzo’s war on the algorithm. 

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join guest host Amil NIazi to talk about whether the Canadian line up at TIFF reflects this country's appetite to consume and support Canadian content. They also discuss why Blue Heron is capturing people's attention, the full circle moment for 'Modern Whore,' and share their favourite Canadian picks. 

People in a small town in Michigan turned on each other trying to figure out who was viciously cyberbullying two young teenagers. In the end, the culprit was one of the victim’s own mother. Journalist Lauren Smiley joins Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the case, which is now the subject of a Netflix documentary called "Unknown Number: The Highschool Catfish" … and TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk weighs in with her take on turning a small town’s tragedy into must-watch TV.Also, Amil is joined by culture critic and wrestling podcaster Pablo The Don about John Cena's return to the hit tv series ‘Peacemaker’ and his final farewell tour with the WWE.

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart rush to our studios after watching 'The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,' and discuss the atmosphere outside the screening, the response to the film inside, and give their takes on the film.  

With the Toronto International Film Festival celebrating its 50th anniversary, Commotion guest host Amil Niazi is joined by film critics Barry Hertz, Sarah-Tai Black and CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver to celebrate the festival's past wins, present challenges, and how they’d like to see TIFF build on its half-century legacy. 

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, the awkwardness of Q&As, and Teri declares 'Tuner' as her favourite film of TIFF so far

'Joni’s Jazz' is a new four-disc box set that focuses on Joni Mitchell’s late-’70s explorations in jazz. Music journalist Carl Wilson and jazz singer Laila Biali join Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to talk about why Joni’s jazz phase is just as significant and influential as her more popular folk-song canon.Also, after more than 30 years, American boxer Roy Jones Jr. received the gold Olympic medal–that many believed was snubbed from him in 1988 – as a gift from his opponent Park Si-hun. The exchange is a massive moment for the boxing community. Following the two fighters’ reunion, CBC senior contributor Morgan Campbell joins Amil to talk about the fight that sparked one of the biggest controversies in boxing history.

At New York Fashion week, two names will loom large. Giorgio Armani and Chloe Malle. Fashion writers Danya Issawi, Joan Summers and Mosha Lundstrom Halbert join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about why this will be a fashion week unlike any other. 

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin Abdelmahmood to discuss some of the films that have a lot of people talking this opening weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival. Plus, they have a difference in opinion over Baz Luhrmann's biographical drama, 'EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert,' and talk about Oscar buzz for Sydney Sweeney.

Rad and Teri join Elamin to talk about the John Candy biopic, 'John Candy: I LIke Me,' Chandler Levack's 'Mile End Kicks,' and Sydney Sweeney attending the world premiere of her boxing movie, 'Christy.' Plus, they talk about what's on the agenda for this weekend - the movies they are going to see, the parties they may attend, and brunch for Rad. 

Movies about splitting up are typically pretty serious, but two new films, Splitsville and The Roses, buck that trend. Rad Simonpillai, Barry Hertz and Haley Mlotek chat with guest host Amil Niazi about why divorce movies are lightening up.

Saturday Night Live has announced exits and additions to the cast, just weeks away from the season’s premiere this fall. Ashley Ray joins guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the decisions behind the shuffle, where the show is headed, and the audience reaction to it all. Plus, with reports that pioneering Canadian animation company Nelvana will be indefinitely shutting down production, Commotion guest host Amil Niazi is joined by entertainment reporter Teri Hart and Canadian animator David Soren (Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie) to react to the news and discuss Nelvana’s contributions to animation history.

Rad and Teri talk about TIFF's opening night and some of the big Canadian films getting a lot of love. Also, why Elamin isn't there (spoiler: he broke his leg).

Librarian Laura Winton joins guest host Amil Niazi to share her reaction to news that the Alberta government has hit pause on a ban that would've seen more than 200 books be removed from public school libraries in Edmonton, including Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale,' due to sexually explicit content.Plus, the new show KPOPPED has artists like the Spice Girls, Boyz II Men and TLC reimagine some of their biggest hits with help from K-pop groups, including ITZY, ATEEZ and Kep1er. Michelle Cho and Hannah Sung join guest host Amil Niazi to review the Apple TV+ musical mashup reality series.

Today on Commotion, guest host Amil Niazi sits down with Jesse Wente to talk about his friend, the iconic Canadian actor Graham Greene, who died Monday in Stratford, Ont., at the age of 73. Plus, critics Eric Deggans, Rachel Ho and Kathryn VanArendonk join Amil to talk about the most anticipated fall TV shows.

Our attention spans are shrinking in a big way. Culture writer Rebecca Jennings, tech and public policy expert Vass Bednar, and media studies professor Siva Vaidhyanathan join the group chat with Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about how social media and our phones are changing our relationship to art.

It’s the end of the week, and what a week it's been in pop music. There’s a new Sabrina Carpenter album, a new album from The Beaches, and that casual engagement announcement that broke the internet. Culture critics Reanna Cruz, Natalie Harmsen and Fran Hoepfner join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to unpack it all.

Users of AI chatbots like ChatGPT are turning them into friends and romantic partners, some are even falling in love. Kashmir Hill, technology reporter for the New York Times, chats with Elamin about how the new version of ChatGPT has left some users with a broken heart. And Globe and Mail TV critic J. Kelly Nestruck makes the case that the Canadian public broadcaster shouldn’t be remaking the original French language shows it creates in Quebec, instead make the originals easily available with subtitles.

Elamin is joined by culture critics El Jones and Riley Yesno to discuss the popularity of the YouTube debate series ‘Surrounded,’ and what it says about the way entertainment media platforms are mining hot button politicized topics and journalistic sensibilities to drive engagement. 

TikTok Canada is shutting down – after a national security review flagged the threat of espionage by the Chinese government. Canadians will still be able to access TikTok .. but Canadian artists like the Beaches and bbno$ say they’re about to lose a vital resource. Tell Tale Harbour has made a big splash at this year's Charlottetown Festival. Based on the film The Grand Seduction, the new Canadian musical is the number-one selling show in the Confederation Centre's history. Now, it's wrapping up its run on P.E.I. and heading to Toronto. Ahead of its arrival, Elamin talks with two theatre insiders about what makes this musical such a fun and exciting new addition to Canadian theatre. 

Author Jael Richardson and sports journalist Shireen Ahmed join guest host Radheyan Simonpillai to talk about the U.S. Open’s newest venture: a reality dating show set at the grand slam tennis tournament. Also, with Mac DeMarco releasing his first proper album in six years, ‘Guitar,’ his old friend Rollie Pemberton, a.k.a. Cadence Weapon, explains how the impish kid he knew in the Edmonton underground scene became one of the most successful indie musicians in North America. 

Korean-culture writer Regina Kim, film critic Rachel Ho, and CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver join the Group Chat to discuss the massive impact of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters as it transitions to the big screen; and whether the new English-dub version of the hugely successful Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 will translate into North American success. 

With the release of ‘Highest 2 Lowest,’ the latest collab between Oscar-winners Spike Lee and Denzel Washington, Commotion guest host Rad Simonpillai is joined by culture critic Jay Smooth and film critic Sarah-Tai Black to discuss the reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s classic film, and where it stands amongst past Spike-Denzel movies. Also, as Oasis gets set to perform in Toronto, Guardian writer Rich Pelley talks about all the Oasis cover bands from across the globe he got a chance to interview -- including one right here in Canada. 

For 50 years, Jaws has been entertained with its unforgettable score, frightening practical effects and its compelling sense of adventure. Today on Commotion, superfans Norm Wilner and Tomris Laffly join guest host Radheyan Simonpillai to talk about how Jaws changed the way we see cinema -- and the ocean -- forever.

It's been a year since the viral meme of Australian Olympic breakdancer Raygun hit the internet. Now we’ve got a musical about a dancer called 'Spraygun' at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Australian journalist Sean Tarek Goodwin talks about the show.

It’s been ten years since Carly Rae Jepsen released her iconic album, 'Emotion.' The group chat is here to dive into how this album cemented Carly’s status as a pop artist, an indie artist, a cult favourite and a queer icon. 

With Howard Stern’s SiriusXM satellite radio contract contract set to expire and his future uncertain, culture writer Niko Stratis, former radio morning man Matt Hart and comedian and podcaster Ashley Ray discuss Stern’s notorious legacy, his transformation from shock jock to congenial, conscientious host, and whether his voice is still necessary in 2025’s overcrowded media landscape.

After 3 seasons, the Sex and the City revival series And Just Like That has come to an end. Are we ready to say goodbye to the inimitable Carrie Bradshaw and her adventures in New York City? Today on Commotion, culture writers Amil Niazi, Anne T. Donahue and Chris Murphy join guest host Ali Hassan to unpack the end of the iconic franchise, and to talk about Taylor Swift’s newly-announced album, The Life of a Showgirl.

Commotion guest host Ali Hassan is joined by panelists Kathryn VanArendonk and Ashley Ray to discuss the new season of South Park and comedian/podcaster Marc Maron in the era of Trump and polarizing politics. Plus, Carole V. Bell talks about Canadian Maria Reva’s debut novel Endling, which is on the Booker Prize 2025 longlist.

Days after she turned 18, Canadian-American former child star and influencer Lil Tay said she's launched an OnlyFans account. Internet culture reporter Kat Tenbarge talks with guest host Ali Hassan about the reaction online, and how Lil Tay seems to have built her career on viral stunts. Plus, Ojibway playwright Drew Hayden Taylor discusses an increasingly common conundrum in the world of Indigenous theatre: when a production of an Indigenous story is cancelled because there are no older Indigenous actors available to play the roles.

Commotion guest host Ali Hassan is joined by film/tv critics Rad Simonpillai and Alison Herman to discuss the new tv show 'Alien: Earth' and what the series might add to the iconic sci-fi horror franchise. Journalist Max Read discusses the sudden resurgence of interest in Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros’ 2009 folk-pop hit “Home,” which was recently named The Worst Song Ever in a viral social-media thread, and which serves as a barometer of how what once seemed quaint in the Obama era now feels cringe in the current moment. 

Beauty influencers are now incorporating true crime into their makeup routines. Social media influencers like Bailey Sarian post weekly videos of themselves sharing details of a famous crime case while applying a full face. Amil Niazi and Riley Yesno discuss the trend and what it says about the way people consume true crime. Plus, with the release of the animated series ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ on Disney Plus - Commotion guest host Ali Hassan is joined by culture critic El Jones to discuss this latest installment in the Black Panther superhero franchise, and how it tackles geo-political themes like artifact theft and reclamation.  

Every music critic seems to agree: 2025 has no true song of summer. Last August, Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” dominated the charts. This year…Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” dominates the charts. What’s going on? Why is there no new summer song to unite us in collective listening, and will there ever be again?Elamin recently joined Switched on Pop’s Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding to discuss the dearth of seasonal bops, and suggest some possible contenders for sleeper summer hits, from the soundtrack of the anime film KPop Demon Hunters to the latest from the Haim sisters. Despite the moribund status of the Hot 100, there is no shortage of great music to be found in the dog days of summer if you’re willing to listen closely.Switched on Pop is a podcast from Vulture all about the making and meaning of popular music. Musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding pull back the curtain on how pop hits work magic on our ears and our culture. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.And for more, check out Commotion’s recent deep dive episode on Justin Bieber’s new album featuring Switched On Pop producer – and frequent Commotion panelist – Reanna Cruz.

Commotion guest host Rad Simonpillai is joined by film and culture critics Jackson Weaver, Rachel Ho and Joyita Sengupta to discuss the horror films ‘Weapons’ and ‘Together’ along with buzzing homegrown movie,‘Shook.’

Recently, the Nelk Boys, a Canadian YouTube duo known for their prank videos, released an interview with Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Hasan PIker, Justin Ling and Alyssa Mercante react to the interview and what it reveals about the current media landscape. 

Theatre critics Glenn Sumi and Joshua Chong talk about the story lighting up Broadway this week -- the casting of Andrew Barth Feldman, a white actor, in the musical Maybe Happy Ending, a Seoul-set comedy about robots finding love at the end of their batteries. Plus, Reanna Cruz talks about Chappell Roan's new single, and about her commitment to speaking out - from everything to the ills of social media to supporting other artists