Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Netflix's ‘Pulse’ is the latest in the batch of medical dramas out now. What do doctors and nurses get from watching medical dramas? Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng an Intensive Care doctor and Amie Archibald Varley, a former ER and labour and delivery nurse, to get their takes. And film critic Sarah-Tai Black talks with Elamin Abdelmahmoud about ‘Village Keeper’ - the...

On the eve of the first new Bon Iver album in six years, music critics Emilie Hanskamp and Matthew Ismael Ruiz chat with Elamin about how Justin Vernon transcended underground folk hero status to become one of the most important artists of the 21st century. And columnist Marsha Lederman, also a mom to a teenage boy, says if you have kids, Netflix's Adolescence should be required watching.

With the season three finale of The White Lotus out now, Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver and culture critic Michelle Cho to discuss who died and who survived, and whether this slow season lived up to their expectations. And futurist and former model Sinead Bovell reacts to the news that H&M, the popular Swedish fashion retailer, is working with artifi...

Culture critics Niko Stratis, Rad Simonpillai and Sonya Ballantyne join Elamin Abdelmahmoud for a group chat on Val Kilmer’s most memorable roles and the films Flow, now streaming on Crave, and A Minecraft Movie opening in theatres.

CBC reporter Jonathan Ore checks in from the Nintendo Direct event in New York City, where the videogame giant unveiled its latest console, the Nintendo Switch 2. Is this highly anticipated upgrade worth the wait?

Based on a true story, Dying for Sex asks us to think hard about what we’d do if we only had months or years to live. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks about some surprising truths of a terminal cancer diagnosis the comedy gets right with Jen Pogue and Sophie Kohn. They share their experiences - Jen as a patient, and Sophie as a caregiver. Jen was featured on the Women On Screen Out Loud podcast about com...

With the passing of Canadian rap legend Bishop Brigante after a long battle with cancer, Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by Juno-award winning artist Choclair and ‘Views B4 The 6’ podcast host Big Tweeze to look back on the decades long legacy of the Scarborough native. And Steven Zeitchik, Senior Editor for Technology and Politics at The Hollywood Reporter, about the recent update to ChatGPT that's...

Elamin is joined by New York Times theatre critic Michael Paulson, longtime theatre critic Glenn Sumi, and CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver to discuss U.S. President Trump’s takeover of The Kennedy Center and what it could signal for the culture of theatre in that country, and Denzel Washington in ‘Othello’ becoming the highest grossing non-musical Broadway show ever and what its high tic...

The Juno Awards were held in Vancouver last night at a time when national pride is surging. So did last night’s show make us proud to be Canadian? Elamin is joined by music journalist Lisa Christiansen.

On the eve of a U.S. tour, Tamara Lindeman – a.k.a. indie-folk artist The Weather Station – talks about traveling to the States in this tense political moment, and why Canadian musicians can’t so easily participate in cultural boycotts when so much of their livelihood is dependent on U.S. touring. Then, musician and author Dave Bidini talks about how Canadian musicians can navigate these turbulent...

With the Canadian government proposing additional counter-tariffs on U.S. goods that could potentially include U.S. books coming into Canada, Elamin is joined by reporter Josh O’Kane to explain why this has Canadian book stakeholders concerned. Plus, Anne Murray gets a Juno for Lifetime Achievement on Sunday. More than a decade ago, Family Guy aired an episode where baby Stewie becomes obsess...

Book lovers Arizona O’Neill and Lu Aburawi talk about the new Hunger Games prequel, 'Sunrise on the Reaping,' and the cultural impact of Suzanne Collins’ popular series. Plus, Elamin talks to Matt Carey, documentary editor at Deadline.com, about the latest headlines involving this year’s Oscar winner for best documentary feature ‘No Other Land’ - including the recent detainment and release of co-d...

TV critic Angie Han and entertainment reporter Teri Hart discuss Seth Rogen’s new Apple TV+, ‘The Studio,' a satirical look at the inner workings of the movie industry and the perpetual tension between art and commerce in Hollywood. Plus, The Cut’s Emily Gould reviews the bestselling memoir, 'The Tell' by Amy Griffin, where the businesswoman shares her path to healing after MDMA-assisted therapy u...

TV critics Kathryn VanArendonk and Jackson Weaver join Elamin to talk about the season finale of Severance, the genius of The White Lotus and how character actors on both shows are becoming the talk of the town.

Culture critics Cristina Escobar and Adam Nayman join guest host Rad Simonpillai to discuss the live action remake of Disney’s Snow White, from its rocky production, to the casting of Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, and why the film has sparked so much debate. Plus, the winners of Canada Reads 2025, champion Shayla Stonechild and author Ma-Nee Chacaby, join Elamin Abdelmahmoud for an interview about...

The Bay’s days may be numbered as Canada's oldest company looks to close its stores as early as this week. Mark Harrison, Mosha Lundström Halbert and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about the Hudson Bay Company’s complicated history.

TV critic Aramide Tinubu and culture writer Amil Niazi discuss the new Netflix miniseries Adolescence, a harrowing portrait of a 13-year-old British boy accused of murdering a female schoolmate, and the online culture of toxic masculinity that’s shaping the worldview of teens today.  Plus, the fashion industry is once again shaking things up. Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson is lea...

With tensions between Canada and the U.S. making headlines, Come From Away feels more relevant than ever. Artistic director Jillian Keiley and performer Darrell Morris Jr. join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the message of unity behind the musical's upcoming production in Gander, N.L. Plus, the new medical drama The Pitt is making headlines for one very realistic birthing scene. Television critic...

'Top Chef: Destination Canada' is here and this year, 15 new chefs are cooking up across the country. How will the show represent our country’s cuisine amidst the trade war? And, can the long-standing show, in its 22nd season, remain fresh among new food competition favourites? Elamin chats with Niko Stratis and Ivy Knight about the new season.

Guest host Rad Simonpillai talks to film critics Teri Hart and Barry Hertz about a bunch of new films: Sandra Oh's new sci-fi feature Can I Get a Witness?, Netflix's $320 million gamble The Electric State, and Canadian filmmaker/provocateur Matt Johnson's SXSW entry Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. Plus, the group chat reflects on the five year anniversary of the pandemic, and asks themselves...

“Algospeak” is a kind of Internet language where people replace words like porn and suicide with seemingly innocuous words and emojis as a way to avoid being censored by the algorithm. Rebecca Jennings and Noelle Perdue explain this phenomenon and what it means for free speech.  Plus, film critic Rachel Ho explains how the Chinese fantasy feature ‘Ne Zha 2’ just surpassed ‘Inside Out 2’ to be...

After all the attention Bong Joon Ho received with 'Parasite,' many are curious about the director's latest film 'Mickey 17.' Michelle Cho and Jackson Weaver talk with Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the sci-fi allegory starring Robert Pattinson.  Plus, illustrator Michael DeForge looks at how 'Law & Order Toronto' turned real-life encampment evictions and homelessness into crime drama, and wha...

With Tory Lanez dropping his new album ‘Peterson’ a project he recorded from prison where he is currently serving time for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet, Elamin is joined by culture critics Matt Amha and Pablo Da Don to discuss the album and the ethical questions raised by where and when it was recorded. Plus, Anne Victoria Clark reviews Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, a highly-anticipate...

Nêhiyaw drummer Marek Tyler and Anishinaabe and Mohawk radio host Kim Wheeler share their reaction to the news that the Juno Awards and Polaris Music Prize have rescinded the awards they’ve given to Buffy Sainte-Marie in light of her recent confirmation that she’s an American citizen.

Culture writers Joan Summers, Liisa Ladouceur, and Alessa Dominguez join the Group Chat to discuss Lady Gaga’s first new album in five years, Mayhem, and how it holds up against the current generation of pop provocateurs.