Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Four years after releasing his 2021 blockbuster Justified, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber surprised fans by dropping his new album, Swag, this past weekend mere hours after announcing it. Music journalists Emilie Hanskamp, Natalie Harmsen, and Reanna Cruz explain how the album’s off-the-cuff, experimental sound reflects the recent upheavals in the singer’s life, including new fatherhood, a highly...

With the release of the latest Superman reboot - Elamin is joined by Siddhant Adlakha and Sonya Ballantyne to discuss how the film holds up against past Superman films, the conservative backlash, and what the movie says about the future of the DC franchise under director James Gunn. And are we at Peak Labubu? Do you know what that means? Internet Culture Journalist Alyssa Mercante joins us to...

The morning after the season finale of Love Island USA, we get into why it’s bringing people together like nothing else on TV. Etalk senior correspondent Lainey Lui, comedian Marlon Palmer and CBC producer Amelia Eqbal join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to recap an event that’s become the Superbowl of live reality TV.

Clipse, the cult-favourite rap duo, are back with their first album in 16 years. Plus, both Drake and Kanye West are onstage this weekend — for very different reasons. Culture critics Pablo The Don, Huda Hassan, Matt Amha weigh in on all these stories with host Elamin Abdelmahmoud.

Just like 'Girls', Lena Dunham draws on her real life for the new romantic comedy 'Too Much,' this time set in London, U.K. Kathryn Van Arendonk and Hanna Flint join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about this transatlantic comedy, and whether it fixes some of what was wrong with 'Girls.'  Plus, Prada recently apologized after its runway models wore sandals that looked like traditional Indian...

With the release of ‘40 Acres,’ the highly-anticipated feature film debut of Canadian director R.T. Thorne, Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by culture critic El Jones and film critic Jesse Wente to discuss the film, its Black-Indigenous themes, and what it could mean for indie Canadian filmmaking moving forward. Plus, songs from the animated Netflix movie 'KPop Demon Hunters' are taking over the mus...

TV critic Saloni Gajjar and culture critic Nicole Froio join guest host Rad Simonpillai to talk about why this year’s raft of "eat the rich" television is falling short of our expectations from the genre that brought us 'Succession,' 'The White Lotus' and 'Squid Game.' Plus, Maura Johnston discusses the new album from Kesha, 'Period,' and how it reflects her newfound freedom as an artist. This com...

Ten years ago, 'Hamilton' the musical premiered on Broadway — and altered the course of musical theatre history forever. The revolutionary hit show about the founding of America has been wildly successful and lauded around the world, making stars out of many in its original cast. But the show has always had its critics too. Guest host Rad Simonpillai reflects on its legacy with culture critics Jac...

Film critics Rachel Ho, Alison Wilmore, and Jackson Weaver join guest host Rad Simonpillai to discuss Sorry, Baby, the latest instalment in the Jurassic World franchise, and the politically themed Idris Alba and John Cena action comedy Heads of State.

Anna Wintour changed fashion during her almost 40 years at the helm of Vogue Magazine. But she also changed our relationship with celebrity. Anna Wintour’s biographer Amy Odell and fashion writer Danya Issawi join guest host Rad Simonpillai to debate her legacy, what’s next for the magazine, and why this is so much more than a fashion story.

With the verdict in on the Sean "Diddy" Combs case, Commotion guest host Rad Simonpillai is joined by Refinery29 reporter Taryn Finley and NYC culture critic Jay Smooth to react to the news, to the discourse around the case, and what it all might mean for Diddy’s pop legacy moving forward. And Sarah-Tai Black talks about Canadian icon and transgender elder Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who is releasing...

With the public backlash to superstar producer Timbaland’s public support for AI-integrated music, guest host Rad Simonpillai is joined by music journalist Dylan Green and critic Michelle Santosuosso to discuss the backlash and how it might inform the discourse between artists, their audiences, and the music industry, moving forward. And the Globe and Mail’s Barry Hertz joins Rad Simonpillai to ta...

What is considered to be a Canadian literary classic? Has that changed? Has it remained the same? Authors Jael Richardson and David A. Robertson, and bookseller and publisher Martha Sharpe chat with Elamin Abdelmahmoud about updating the Can Lit canon.

Culture critics Michelle Cho and Nicholas Quah join guest host Rad Simonpillai to talk about the final season of Squid Game, and whether its satire of capitalism is as potent the third time around. And the new Pixar movie Elio got good reviews when it opened a few weeks ago but it’s bombing at the box office. Teri Hart explains why the problem with Elio is the problem with all original kids movies...

Culture writer Niko Stratis, podcaster Vish Khanna, and music journalist Carl Wilson join the Group Chat to discuss the mammoth new seven-disc Bruce Springsteen box set ‘Tracks II: The Lost Albums’, the new intensely personal comeback album from New Zealand pop queen Lorde, and the musical legacy of Quebecois rock legend Serge Fiori, who passed away recently at age 73.

Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by real life line cook and tv junkie Grace Onasanya and tv/film critic Rachel Ho to talk about the latest season of ‘The Bear.’ Plus, Mel Woods joins Elamin to talk about their new Xtra podcast, Get Queer, which explores how queer folks turned reality TV into a global phenomenon.

The very real showdown between protesters in LA and immigration agents is being re-enacted in the virtual world. Roblox — a video game used by 85 million people every day — has become a hotbed for virtual political activism among kids. Alyssa Mercante and Kieran Press-Reynolds join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about it. It takes years of dedication to become a conductor for a world-class orchestra....

There are two celebrity art shows on right now that are getting a lot of buzz — but not necessarily for the right reasons. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to art critics Annie Armstrong and Eddy Frankel about the reaction to, and the quality of, Adrien Brody’s art show in New York City and Robbie Williams’ show in London. Also, with a new book out, and a tribute album and documentary on the way, th...

Culture critics Syrus Marcus Ware and Tobin Ng join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the new doc 'Parade,' which explores the history of Pride parades — as protest and party — in Canada. Plus, New Yorker writer Jennifer Wilson learns how to be an intimacy coordinator, a consultant who supervises sex scenes on film sets, in order to understand why there seems to be a backlash to the role in post-#...

After years in the Internet trenches, Scaachi Koul is no stranger to a good fight — but her latest essay collection is all about knowing when to walk away. In Sucker Punch, Scaachi examines her recent divorce with her signature ruthless humour, picking apart what the end of her marriage made her realize about her self-worth, upbringing and love of conflict. Scaachi joins Bookends host Mattea Roach...

SiriusXM host/producer Kim Wheeler, culture writer Riley Yesno and music journalist Emilie Hanskamp join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss new albums from Oji-Cree singer/songwriter Aysanabee, California pop sister act Haim, and Juno Award-winning electronic producer BAMBII.

Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by Marek Tyler and Susan Blight to discuss the rise of AI in pop culture and the possibilities and concerns it raises for Indigenous communities. Plus, it's been over two decades since '28 Days Later,' the horror film that reimagined what a zombie thriller could be. Now, the franchise is back with a third installment – but in a post-Brexit, post-COVID world, are fans...

Teri Hart and David Rider join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem,' a new Netflix documentary about Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and the media circus that erupted when a video of him smoking crack cocaine was leaked to reporters in 2013.  Plus, Thomas Leblanc reviews Crave's brilliant new dramedy 'Empathie,' set in a Montreal psychiatric institution for criminals.

Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with Liz Duff and Rebecca Jennings about the new Disney+ docuseries ‘Call Her Alex,’ which explores how Alex Cooper turned her DIY-style sex podcast ‘Call Her Daddy' into one of the biggest celebrity interview shows in the world.

With Kendrick Lamar and SZA touching down in Toronto last week for their Grand National Tour, Elamin is joined by Matt Amha and Rad Simonpillai to discuss the Toronto shows and what the local debates around whether Toronto fans should attend or not at a time when Canadian identity politics are top of mind for many.