

Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud
CBC
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 6, 2025 • 25min
Trinidad Killa and an Inuit slur, and BookTok hit I Who Have Never Known Men
Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by Dr. Jay De Soca Prince, culture critic Sharine Taylor, and Inuk writer and culture critic Jamesie Fournier to react to two recent song releases from Trinidad Killa (with Nicki Minaj) and Kendrick Lamar that use the same

Feb 5, 2025 • 28min
Boycotting America and the meaning of cultural resistance in Canada
As tariffs still loom and Donald Trump keeps musing about Canada becoming the 51st state, what does cultural resistance look like? It’s a lot easier when you’re talking about shopping to buy Canadian and skip made-in-America. But how are we thinking about the pillars of national cultural identity: the music, movies, and TV we chose to consume? Columnist and chair of the Canada Council for the Arts Jesse Wente has been thinking a lot about this, not just lately, but throughout his entire life.

Feb 4, 2025 • 26min
Tariff uncertainty and what it means for Canadian studios and creators, and Fernanda Torres in I'm Still Here
Though the proposed tariffs on Canadian goods that were supposed to take effect on February 3 have been momentarily paused for 30 days, the threat still looms over Canadian industries bracing for their impact. The Globe and Mail’s Film and Deputy Arts Editor Barry Hertz checks in to explain how they could affect the Canadian film and television industries, from production to consumer demand. Plus, culture writers Nicole Froio and Jackson Weaver discuss Fernanda Torres’s Oscar-nominated performance in 'I’m Still Here', a film set in the 70s amidst a military dictatorship in Brazil.

Feb 3, 2025 • 25min
Highlights and big moments of the 2025 Grammys
ulture critic/podcaster Pablo the Don and music journalists Carl Wilson and Rosie Long Decter give us their morning-after reactions to the biggest highlights, surprises, and snubs from last night’s Grammys.

Jan 31, 2025 • 26min
Emilia Pérez star embroiled in controversy over offensive tweets, and The Weeknd's new album is here
Culture writer Reanna Cruz, comedian Marlon Palmer, and arts reporter Jackson Weaver chat with Elamin about the latest controversy around the movie Emilia Pérez and its lead actor, Karla Sofía Gascón, and they discuss The Weeknd’s new album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow.’

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.'


