
Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Big laughs. Smart takes. Every day. Commotion is where you go for thoughtful and vibrant conversations about all things pop culture. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud calls on journalists, critics, creators and friends to talk through the biggest arts & entertainment stories of the day, in 30 minutes or less.Subscribe to Sounds Good: CBC's Podcasts newsletter for the finest podcast recommendations and behind-the-scenes exclusives.
Latest episodes

Jan 30, 2025 • 25min
YouTube star Ms.Rachel's move to Netflix, and highlights of Sundance 2025
Ms. Rachel is moving to Netflix. The YouTube star toddlers love is part of a revolution in kids' TV .. Kathryn VanArendonk and Amil Niazi join Elamin to talk about it. Plus, film critic Hoai-Tran Bui talks about some of her highlights from the Sundance Film Festival, including 'Kiss of the Spider Woman,' and 'The Wedding Banquet.'

Jan 29, 2025 • 25min
How Tom Green changed TV
Media personality Matt Hart and TV creator Derrick Beckles discuss the new Tom Green documentary, ‘This Is the Tom Green Documentary’, and how his notorious gonzo talk show from the late-’90s revolutionized television and anticipated the YouTube era.

Jan 28, 2025 • 25min
Rebecca Yarros dominates with Onyx Storm, and a new Broken Social Scene documentary
Book lovers Arizona O’Neill and Lu Aburawi talk to Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the phenomenon of Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series as the third book 'Onyx Storm' hits shelves. And music journalist Tabassum Siddiqui reviews a new documentary

Jan 27, 2025 • 25min
The Brutalist's AI accent controversy, and rewatch podcasts
With controversy swirling around the use of AI to perfect the Hungarian accents for the actors in the Oscar-nominated film ‘The Brutalist’, Elamin is joined by Rad Simonpillai and Kristy Puchko to discuss the public reaction, and what it says about our comfort level with the intersection between art and AI right now. And culture critic Niko Stratis joins host Elamin to talk about why she got into the world of rewatch podcasts, both as a host and as a listener.

Jan 24, 2025 • 25min
Oscar noms are out, SZA and Keke Palmer's buddy movie, Mac Miller's new record
Culture writer Reanna Cruz and rapper Rollie Pemberton, a.k.a. Cadence Weapon, chat with Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the nominations for this year’s Oscars, the hit new Keke Palmer/SZA buddy comedy ‘One of Them Days’, and the surprising new posthumous Mac Miller album, 'Ballonerism.'

Jan 23, 2025 • 25min
Canada Reads 2025 books reveal
The Canada Reads 2025 champions are revealed! Five celebrities each champion a book they think all of Canada should read, and after a week of debates, one will be crowned the winner.

Jan 22, 2025 • 25min
Is Spotify good for music? And the Australian Open serves animated tennis
Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with Liz Pelly, author of '‘Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of The Perfect Playlist’ and music critic Ian Kamau about how Spotify became the dominant power in music streaming. And CBC Sports correspondent Morgan Campbell talks about the Australian Open’s decision to livestream its matches on YouTube using Nintendo-like digital avatars to depict the action.

Jan 21, 2025 • 28min
The cultural significance of Trump’s inauguration
The day after Donald Trump was sworn into office as the 47th President of the United States, culture critics Vinson Cunningham and Tyler Foggatt join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to read the inauguration’s cues: what the new President’s choices tell us about where the culture is heading and what cultural resistance might look like.

Jan 20, 2025 • 25min
TikTok’s uncertain future and Severance season 2
The future of TikTok is in limbo. After going dark in the U.S. for several hours over the weekend, it’s back, for now. Vass Bednar joins Elamin to talk about what this means for the millions of creators who use it, and where things go next. And TV critics Eric Deggans and Jeevan Sangha to discuss the highly anticipated season 2 of ‘Severance.’

Jan 17, 2025 • 27min
Remembering David Lynch, The Last Show Girl, and the Robbie Williams biopic
Film critics Rad Simonpillai, Kristy Puchko and Hanna Flint discuss the legacy of David Lynch, and review the new films, 'The Last Showgirl' starring Pamela Anderson and 'Better Man', a surprisingly great biopic on Robbie Williams.