Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Music journalist Maura Johnston and Oasis super-fan Alex Spears talk about Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, the new documentary chronicling the Britpop legends’ 2025 world tour, and why it strikes a deeper emotional chord than most rock and roll documentaries.

Comedian Nathan Fielder and filmmaker Lance Oppenheim have teamed up for a documentary about Theranos founder and notorious fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. Today on Commotion, film critic Adam Nayman, journalist Alyssa Bereznak, and filmmaker Chandler Levack try to pull back the curtain on ‘You Can See Everything.’ 

Comedian Nathan Fielder and filmmaker Lance Oppenheim have teamed up for a documentary about Theranos founder and notorious fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. Today on Commotion, film critic Adam Nayman, journalist Alyssa Bereznak, and filmmaker Chandler Levack try to pull back the curtain on ‘You Can See Everything.’ 

One of the fundamental tenets of independence movements is that you need a distinct culture if you’re going to have a nation. So what makes Alberta culture distinct – and how are people in both camps using culture to persuade Albertans to vote to leave, or stay in Canada? Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by strategist Zain Velji and singer songwriter Mariel Buckley to discuss. 

With the release of the new HBO docuseries ‘Jay-Z in 8,’ Elamin is joined by culture critics Jay Smooth and Shamira Ibrahim to discuss the deep dive into the lyrics and director Rick Rubin’s approach to unpacking Jay-Z’s musical legacy.

Plus, from 'Night of the Living Dead' to 'Resident Evil,' zombies have endured in the public imagination for decades. But what if we’ve been getting the undead all wrong? A new documentary, 'Black Zombie,' traces their history back to the Haitian Revolution, breaking down how Hollywood co-opted a spiritual figure to produce...

Aaron Sorkin is back with another film about Facebook. While he says The Social Reckoning isn’t a sequel to the 2010 hit film The Social Network, it’s hard not to compare the two movies and look at how they reflect our changing relationship with Mark Zuckerberg and Meta. Critics Fran Hoepfner Radheyan Simonpillai, and public policy expert Vass Bednar chat with Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the new movie, and how it handles the current moment we’re in with big tech.

Music journalists Liisa Ladoucuer and Emilie Hanskamp and CBC art critic Charlene K. Lau discuss the new Art Gallery of Ontario exhibit showcasing the ‘90s-era photos of Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, and how it captures the final days of a pre-digital culture that no longer exists. 

Music journalist Annie Zaleski, pop critic Sandra Mills, and film critic Kaiya Shunyata join the Group Chat to dig into Netflix’s Newfoundland-set thriller ‘Below’ and Prime Video’s new adaptation of the Stephen King classic ‘Carrie.’ Also, they remember the late Canadian singer and songwriter, Sass Jordan and the blueprint she set for women in rock music.

This week, Canadian writer Anne Carson was announced as the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her masterpiece, Autobiography of Red, changed literature. Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney talks about how encountering Carson's work opened new doors for him.

The Irish actor and creator Sharon Horgan has seen us through several stages of life with hit comedy-dramas like Pulling, Catastrophe, Motherland and Bad Sisters. Now in her 50s, Horgan is back with a new show called Youth. Culture critics Aoiffe Barry and Kathryn VanArendonk join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about Horgan’s trademark mix of sharp humour and genuine pathos – and why she’s such a unique voice.

American country music star Riley Green is headlining this year’s Grey Cup Halftime Show. Writer Steacy Easton and CBC Sports contributor Morgan Campbell stop by Commot...

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 biography that explores the influence of Scientology on the alternative rock star’s life and career, and how he’s largely shielded that aspect of his past from the public. 

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 Heiltsuk background, as well as bringing in inspiration from Indigenous cultures from across the Pacific Northwest, to create the fictional planet in her new novel The Sorceress of Sky Ser...

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 host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to review the coming-of-age adventure, and whether it could be the next KPop Demon Hunters.

Plus, with calypso lovers across the world mourning the...

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 Simonpillai about the Resident Evil movie and what makes it a successful video game adaptation.

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 shows.

Plus, the new book ‘Save A Seat For Me: Notes on Black Fatherhood’ dedicates a chapter to Black TV dads. Author Mark Anthony Neal looks at 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 and CBC journalist Joyita Sengupta join guest host Radheyan Simonpillai to explain the controversy, and the consequences.

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 dollar best-song prize for 'Fabienk.' Music journalist Emilie Hanskamp joins Elamin to talk about the win, who she was rooting for, and to weigh in on how Canadian music has changed over the year...

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 the Macklemore controversy. Culture critic David Dennis Jr. unpacks what happened at the show and the reaction from his fans and critics. 

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 other musician on the tour, including Sheeran’s backing band, have pulled out. Culture critics Jay Smooth, Sara Yasin, and Niko Stratis join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to break down what happened and what it says about this...

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 Coscarelli and Vulture writer Fran Hoepfner explain who Stella Lefty is exactly, and why she’s turning so many heads.

Plus, Elamin is joined by C.T. Jones to discuss se...

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 why parents are seriously upset by this shift.

Plus, Justin Trudeau recently announced he's starting up a new production company called Hope & Hard Work, focusing on Canadian content. Culture critic Nicholas Quah joins guest host Amil Niaz...

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 of Paris Match, the morning after Celine Dion’s first concert in Paris. 

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 from Na Hong-jin, the director who brought us The Wailing. East Asian Studies professor Michelle Cho joins Amil Niazi to talk about some of the themes explored in the movie.

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 set to take the world by storm. 'Dear You' is a family drama about a young man from China who travels to Thailand to find hi...

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 critics Amil Niazi (The Cut) and Sadaf Ahsan (Frequencies) to talk about how Canadian cottage country got a titillating makeover on TV.

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 America—in retaliation to stalled trade talks between Canada and the U.S.—has galvanized Canadians to express an even greater degree of national unity, and prompted expressions of solidarity from art...

This week, a jury found Duane 'Keffe D' Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur. Journalist Taryn Finley talks to Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the trial and what the verdict could mean for another case that has captivated hip hop fans for years -- the murder of Notorious B.I.G.

Plus, there's a new album from English R&B singer Cleo Sol, and it might be one of the chillest ones of the year. Fusing soul and gospel underneath Sol’s chiming falsetto, Gentlewoman is a comforting listen that may just lower yo...

With the release of ‘Before The World Blows’ the firs full-length album from Erykah Badu in more than a decade - Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by culture critics Jamilah Lemieux, Naila Keleta-Mae, and Mark Anthony Neal to discuss the new album and Erykah’s influence on pop culture up to this point.

After an AI-generated cover of a Madonna track topped the national airplay chart in Australia, the music industry has responded by banning AI-created songs from its charts. The move comes as rappers like Tyga and Fenix Flexin are openly admitting to using A.I. in their work, while industry titans like Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin endorse the technology. Music journalist Maura Johnston and writer/rapper Cadence Weapon take stock of how the AI music landscape is shifting.

Plus, Pope Leo XIV has been making international best dressed lists from Vanity Fair to Vogue...

Commotion guest host Amil Niazi is joined by Black pop academics Professor Mark Anthony Neal, DJ Lynnée Denise and Huda Hassan to look back on the influence of Aaliyah, the singer and actor who occupied multiple worlds and left us with a profound artistic legacy after her tragic death 25 years ago.

We’re used to hearing about things like the auto industry and liquor being sticking points in the Canada-US trade war, but one of the reasons the recent trade talks collapsed was about something less tangible. U.S. negotiators demanded that Canada drop the requirements for streaming companies like Netflix to promote Canadian content. Tech and public policy expert Vass Bednar chats with guest host Amil Niazi about why CanCon ended up being one of Canada’s dealbreakers. 

Plus, there has been so much anticipation about Coyote vs. Acme, and a lot of that has t...