Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Sarah-Tai Black and Roxana Hadadi review the new Canadian film 'My Old Ass', a tight time travelling coming-of-age dramedy with a surprising punch. Plus, with People magazine naming John Krasinski,‘Sexiest Man Alive’, Elamin is joined by culture critic and Vulture writer Nicholas Quah to discuss the online backlash to the announcement and whether these types of declarations from pop publications a...

The Giller Prize was handed out yesterday, and Anne Michaels took home the prize for her novel, ‘Held.’ Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Toronto outside the gala to protest the Giller Foundation and its lead sponsor, Scotiabank. Past winner Ian Williams joins Elamin to reflect on the divisions and discontent in Canadian Literature, and why conversation is key to a way forward.&...

Elamin is joined by Morgan Campbell from CBC Sports to react to the results of the highly anticipated fight between boxer and social media personality Jake Paul and former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. And culture writers Séamas O'Reilly and Louise Bruton talk about the new show Say Nothing, which tackles The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the little known history of the women of the I...

The numbers are astronomical - the scale, totally unprecedented. There has NEVER been a tour like Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The morning after her first Canadian date – Elamin and the Commotion group chat take stock of how Taylor changes a city

After last night’s finale of ‘The Golden Bachelorette,’ TV reporter Shivani Gonzalez and culture critic Amil Niazi reflect on the scandal-plagued first season of the latest Bachelor Nation spinoff with Elamin, and discuss whether reality TV shows are doing enough to keep their contestants safe. And internet writer CT Jones reports from the front lines of X, formerly known as Twitter, which has los...

Elamin is joined by music and culture critics Pablo The Don, Reanna Cruz and Andrea Williams to discuss this year’s Grammy nominations and the new doc ‘Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words'

Heretic is a part of a new slate of films where organized religion is the setting for a thriller. Entertainment reporter Teri Hart and podcaster Ashley Ray join guest host Rad Simonpillai to weigh in whether it works. And Sarah-Tai Black talks about the quietly comedic portrayal of small towns, grief and found family in Somebody Somewhere.

Film critics Rad Simonpillai, Jackson Weaver and Hanna Flint join Elamin to talk about Steve McQueen’s new World War II film Blitz, and how our remembrance of war is shaped by cinema.

As Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone returns with new episodes, culture critics Johnnie Jae, Karolina Waclawiak and Brooks Barnes discuss how it reflects American politics and why it speaks to viewers on different sides of the political spectrum.

Culture critic/podcaster Pablo the Don and rapper Rollie Pemberton – a.k.a. Cadence Weapon – weigh in on the new album from Tyler the Creator, Chromakopia, and his ongoing transformation from rap’s resident enfant terrible to one of its most esteemed auteurs. Plus, entertainment reporter Teri Hart talks about the new show 'My Dead Mom,' and how it explores grief through comedy.

Elamin is joined by Pablo The Don, Scaachi Koul and Radheyan Simonpillai to look back at the role social media culture and celebrity endorsements played in the U.S. election, and does it need to change..

Quincy Jones is widely understood as one of the greatest -- if not the greatest -- music producer of all time. He died this week at 91. Jones built a vast and legendary musical legacy, producing hits from Aretha Franklin to Ella Fitzgerald to Ray Charles to Michael Jackson. He also helped create beloved television shows like MadTV and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. We spend time celebrating the late...

Culture critics Teri Hart, Amil Niazi and Anne T. Donahue discuss this week’s big headlines from the world of film and television, including Robert Zemeckis’ Here, which reunites his Forrest Gump dream team of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright; and Hallmark launching a new reality show to cast its next Christmas movie star amid accusations of ageism leveled at the network.

Part two in our series on the future of the CBC. We’ve heard the case for defunding the public broadcaster, today we make space for why it matters. Max Fawcett, Nana Aba Duncan and Jonathan Torrens argue that it’s a vital asset that should be nurtured and publicly funded, now more than ever.

After the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made offensive jokes about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally, artists reacted in anger and it became a rallying cry. Elamin chats with Hershal Pandya, comedy reporter for Vulture, and Raquel Reichard, deputy director of Refinery 29 Somos about comedy’s role in this year’s US election. Plus, Waubgeshig Rice joins Elamin to talk about contributing to the book Zeegajimo...

As calls for the CBC to be defunded get louder, and as a new President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada gets set to take over in the new year, Elamin sits down with three critics of the CBC - Harrison Lowman, managing editor of The Hub, writer Rupa Subramanya of The Free Press, and freelance writer Sabrina Maddeaux. It's the first in a two-part series on the future of the public broadcaster. On Novembe...

With Vince Carter becoming the first Toronto Raptor to have his jersey retired, Elamin is joined by sports reporter Kayla Grey and culture critic Dalton Higgins to assess the impact Vince Carter has had on Toronto and pop culture writ large. Plus, Elamin is joined by culture critic David Dennis Jr. to discuss David’s piece covering the recent fan backlash to the WWE’s lack of Black wrestlers at it...

Presidential candidate Kamala Harris pulled off the biggest celebrity endorsement of the election when Beyonce showed up in her hometown of Houston to support the Vice President’s rally on Friday. Culture writer Culture writer CT Jones joins Elamin to talk about how Beyoncé’s appearance went and why campaigns rely heavily on celebrity endorsements. Plus, TV critic Aramide Tinubu and culture writer...

Commotion regulars Teri Hart, Ashley Ray & Syrus Marcus Ware give us their takes on the new Catholic thriller ‘Conclave’ and Hasan Minhaj’s new Netflix special.

Horror fans Amil Niazi, Mel Woods and Matt Hart join guest host Radheyan Simonpillai to talk about what’s scaring them this week, from the box-office topping 'Smile 2' to Quebec indie film 'Red Rooms,' and more.

Andrew Garfield is promoting his new film 'We Live In Time,' but he seems to be doing something different. Maybe even – unintentional? Whether it’s going on a Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenburg, or talking with Elmo about missing his mom, he’s showing up in a way that seems deeply sincere, deeply vulnerable. Or maybe it’s all a brilliant act. We’ll get in to it with culture critics Niko St...

Ever since it premiered at Cannes last May, Anora has been the talk of the film world. With the film receiving a wide release this week, critics Kristy Puchko and Peter Knegt explain why this gritty comedy about a New York sex worker and her wealthy Russian suitor has generated such an intense degree of Oscar buzz. Plus, film critic Rachel Ho talks about Fan Bingbing's return to cinema, and why sh...

Guest host Ali Hassan is joined by culture critics Barry Hertz and Vinson Cunningham to discuss the rise of Conservative media company The Daily Wire, and what their approach might say about the role politics plays in the type of entertainment we consume. Plus, Han Kang’s recent win of the Nobel Prize in literature has put the spotlight on Korean fiction. Her work has also fueled a debate about li...

Elamin is joined by culture critics Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Syrus Marcus Ware and Joan Summers to reflect on the life of One Direction star Liam Payne, who died at 31. Plus, reactions to Norwegian reporter Kjersti Flaa sharing her past interviews with celebrities like Anne Hathaway and Blake Lively.

A year since Israel invaded Gaza, Palestinian artists, writers, filmmakers and poets are working hard to ensure their culture remains strong, despite so much destruction. Elamin chats with author Saeed Teebi and composer and pianist John Kameel Farah about how the war has affected their art.