Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

With Netflix’s debuting its revival of the popular series ‘A Different World’ - Elamin is joined by culture critic Kathleen Newman-Bremang and film/tv critic Sarah-Tai black to discuss the show’s new characters, direction and ongoing legacy.  Plus, Marc Masters, host of ‘The Music Book Podcast,' discusses ‘The Last Temptation of Beck: The Untold Story of a Pop Messiah,’ a new unauthorized bio...

U.S. tariffs have thrown the Canadian art market into chaos. Guest host Rad Simponpillai speaks with Globe and Mail reporter Josh O’Kane, and Quebec artist Jennifer Lefort about how Canadian artists, dealers and gallerists are being affected, and getting creative to deal with this new reality. Plus, book blogger Dani Roulette talks about how author Eden Robinson draws from her own Haisla and...

With season one of HBO’s ‘Lanterns’ wrapping up, culture critics David Dennis Jr. and Hanna Flint review the series, and talk with guest host Rad Simonpillai about how it measures up against other releases from James Gunn’s DC Universe.  Plus, CBC Books’ Talia Kliot talks about the five books on the Giller shortlist, and the changes to the Giller Prize jury this year.

Film critics Adam Nayman, Hanna Flint, and Kaiya Shunyata join guest host Rad Simonpillai to discuss the new Tom Cruise political satire ‘Digger,’ the erotic thriller ‘Verity’ starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, and Netflix’s new miniseries adaptation of John Steinbeck’s ‘East of Eden.’

The new animated film Forgotten Island follows a pair of best friends who, right as they’re about to begin the next chapter of their lives post-high school, find themselves pulled into a mythical world full of monsters. Set in the Philippines in the ’90s and 2000s, the film puts Filipino culture and folklore front and centre. Filmmaker and musician Romeo Candido and film critic Kristy Puchko join...

We're seeing new public works from Indigenous artists pop up all over Canada. They're big, outdoor installations from artists like Cheyenne Rain LeGrande, Brain Jungen and Kent Monkman. Celina Yellowbird and Reneltta Arluk join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about these works, and how public art can help further reconciliation.

Media giant Black Entertainment Television has deleted all of its digital articles from its website as part of its move to prioritize video content. Journalist Dalton Higgins and hip-hop broadcaster Jay Smooth join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to react to the news and its larger ramifications for the preservation of Black pop culture.  Plus, film critic David Ehrlich talks with guest host Radheyan Sim...

The new Netflix reality series 'Wonka's Golden Ticket' is based on the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory universe and features an A.I. recreation of the voice of the late Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the original 1971 film version. TV critics Alison Herman and culture writer Anne T. Donahue join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss why the series may be a new low for reality competition s...

Elamin is joined by film and TV critics Jackson Weaver, Sarah-Tai Black and Roxana Hadadi to discuss the growing buzz and critical acclaim surrounding the feature film and directorial debuts from Lance Oppenheim (Primetime) and John Wilson (The History of Concrete).

The Tamil Canadian actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's career has been on a roll since her breakout performance in Never Have I Ever. Now she’s starring in the new Netflix movie Best of the Best. And while many critics like the movie, some Sri Lankans are mobilizing to review bomb it – and everything else she’s been involved with. Nedra Rodrigo, founder of the Tamil Studies Symposium at York University...

Angine de Poitrine is the winner of this year's Polaris Music Prize. The polka-dotted duo took home the 30-thousand dollar best-album prize at last night’s gala in Toronto. The annual award is given to the best Canadian album of the year as selected by more than 200 music journalists and broadcasters, and it's based solely on artistic merit. Angine de Poitrine also won the 10-thousand do...

Neil Peart is arguably one of the greatest drummers of all time. And now, a new documentary about the legendary Rush drummer and lyricist is coming to CBC Gem. Drummer Marek Tyler and music journalist Maura Johnston join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about 'Neil Peart: No One’s Disciple,' and how it captures Peart and his legacy. Plus, Ed Sheeran returned to the stage for the first time since t...

The Toronto International Film Festival is over for another year. But some of the biggest films out this fall aren’t coming out on the festival circuit. Teri Hart and Radheyan Simonpillai get into why that is, and look back at the highlights, award winners, and controversies that made this year’s TIFF what it was.  

Culture writer Mel Woods, author/rapper Rollie Pemberton aka Cadence Weapon, and Exclaim editor Megan LaPierre join the Group Chat to discuss B.C. pop star Carly Rae Jepsen’s long-awaited double-album return; how Drake’s new short film factors into his current comeback campaign; and why this year’s Emmy Awards telecast felt a lot more Canadian than usual.

On Monday, news broke that Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s North American tour after the rapper made pro-Palestinian comments on stage. Multiple venus dropped Macklemore. In a statement, Sheeran said he is "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine," calling the suffering on "both sides" a "human tragedy," but defended his choice not to take a public stance. In response, every...

Just as Stella Lefty’s music career started to go right, things took a turn. The up-and-coming singer-songwriter’s hit song Boston has been unavoidable this summer, but so has the criticism about her billionaire father, her country sound despite being from Chicago, and her biggest song’s similarities with Noah Kahan’s Stick Season. The New York Times culture reporter and Popcast co-host, Joe Cosca...

For years, parents have relied on Netflix as a source for quality children’s-television programming, particularly as YouTube has become increasingly dominant in the kids-media space with influencer-driven content. However, now some of that YouTube-spawned content is turning up in Netflix’s menu of kids programming, and TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk and digital policy analyst Vass Bednar explain wh...

For a while it seemed like Celine Dion might never sing again. She was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition four years ago. But she is SO back – and what a time it is to be a Canadian cultural icon with a comeback story for the ages. Elamin Abdelmahmoud meets up with Eugénie Lépine-Blondeau, host of Radio-Canada's Admission Générale podcast and Benjamin Locoge, Editor In Chief for Culture...

The Toronto International Film Festival is back! Filmmaker Atom Egoyan, and critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Sarah Hagi join guest host Amil Niazi to preview the 2026 festival and reflect on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

As Ryan Murphy’s television adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel The Shards reaches its season finale, television critics Kaiya Shunyata and Alison Herman discuss whether this tale of rich teens terrorized by a serial killer in 1980s Los Angeles is irresistibly trashy or irredeemably tacky. Plus, the new alien invasion thriller 'Hope' has already been a huge hit in Korea. It's the latest film fr...

Film & culutre critics Roxana Hadadi, Riley Yesno, and Jackson Weaver join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the new season of North of North and other shows on their radar this Fall.

SubwayTakes, the YouTube talk show featuring people sharing their hot takes while riding the New York City subway, is not only all over your algorithm, it’s also up for an Emmy this year. Critics Kathryn VanArendonk and Jay Smooth join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the popularity of SubwayTakes, and what it says about our viewing habits in 2026. Plus, a new indie film out of mainland China is...

Going to the cottage in the summer is a beloved Canadian pastime, but with hit shows like Heated Rivalry, Sterling Point and Every Year After, it seems like the world is newly seduced by our trees, lakes and isolated retreats in the woods. Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk (Vulture), who coined the genre “sexy feelings by a Canadian lake,” as well as Canadian culture c...

Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by culture critic El Jones, film critic Radheyan Simonpillai, and comedian Marlon Palmer to discuss the backlash to the return of Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Ali G in the upcoming film Ali G: Who Iz I? They also review the new Netflix doc on Australian breakdancer Raygun, who made headlines around the world at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Gloria Steinem - feminist, author, activist and pop culture icon -- has died. She was 92. Culture writer Elizabeth Renzetti joins Elamin to talk about the life and legacy of Gloria Steinem, and how her feminism crossed over to pop culture. Also, musician Donovan Woods and journalist Elizabeth Renzetti talk about how U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to rebrand Lake Ontario as Lake Ameri...