Stay ConnectedBig 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.
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Recruitment in the Canadian Armed Forces is seeing a bit of a boom right now. It’s at a 30-year high. That could be because of a new sense of nationalism or the economy. But another part of this equation could be the Forces’ new recruitment videos. Fast-paced and action-packed, the videos are heavily coded with gaming culture and Hollywood movies. Writer Kawika Guillermo talks to Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how these videos pull on pop culture – and how the real-life call of duty is intertwined with video games.
Pop Culture Jeopardy! crowns a new champion this week. The game show is like regular Jeopardy without the science, history and serious stuff. Elamin Abdelmahmoud asks real life quiz master Jessica Sorrentino what goes into crafting a Jeopardy spin-off, and why the pace of pop-culture news adds a whole new dimension.
The literary world is in an uproar after a prize-winning short story was accused of being AI-generated. But was it? How easy is it really to tell if a piece of creative writing is AI? Writers Innocent Chizaram Ilo and Jen Sookfong Lee join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the environment of fear and paranoia around AI in the writing world.
Plus, the new Bell Fibe 1 TV series ‘Destination: Oshawa’ presents a humorous portrait of an eager city worker’s attempt to transform the beleaguered Toronto satellite city into a hip tourist destination. Musician and Oshawa's own Wayne Petti discusses what makes the show successful as both a satire of and love letter to the city.
Heated Rivalry wins big at the Canadian Screen Awards, taking home 16 awards. Elamin is joined by film critic Radheyan Simonpillai and filmmaker/culture critic Sonya Ballantyne to talk about the wins, losses and surprises from the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards and what this year’s broadcast might say about the state of film and television in Canada right now.
Plus, when Kane Parson was 16, his short horror film ‘The Backrooms (Found Footage),’ went viral not too long after it was posted to YouTube. About a year later, he was brought on by A24 to direct ‘Backrooms,’ a new film anticipated to have the studio’s biggest opening weekend ever. But the idea of the backrooms isn't new, it traces its roots to user-generated images and stories shared across forums and subreddits. Today, journalist Andrew Lloyd joins Elamin to talk about the film, and the eerie online phenomenon that led to it.
The vibe shift around Artificial Intelligence is happening. The Pope released his manifesto warning that AI poses a threat to humanity. Meanwhile, our social feeds are filled with graduates booing mentions of AI at their commencement speeches. And more celebrities are speaking up. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks with culture writer Amil Niazi and religious studies professor Judith Ellen Brunton about the cultural reset that seems to be well and truly underway.
t’s happening all over again -- a hockey romance based on a Canadian book series is taking over television. Off Campus is the number one show on Amazon Prime and it’s based on Toronto author Elle Kennedy’s romantic comedy novels. Gillian McKercher and Steve Dangle Glynn join guest host Amil Niazi to dive into the new series, and discuss how hockey’s place in pop culture is changing today.
Plus, after five seasons, HBO’s Hacks is getting its curtain call. One of the smartest and funniest shows on TV, the comedy-drama follows the friendship between an older stand-up comedian and her younger comedy writer as they navigate the entertainment industry. But it's also a show that criticizes the current practices of big entertainment companies. Discovery. Pop culture writer Kevin Fallon is here to talk about its final season with guest host Amil Niazi.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is a new AppleTV comedy-thriller starring Canadian actor Tatiana Maslany. Commotion guest host Amil Niazi is joined by film critic Radheyan Simonpillai and culture critic C.T. Jones to talk about the new series and why it's so polarizing for some audiences.
Plus, over the past week, videos of an Olivia Rodrigo performance in Barcelona have gone viral largely due to her choice of outfit: the babydoll dress. What was once seen as a symbol of feminist fashion in the ‘90s (think Courtney Love), the dress has taken on a much more problematic, infantalizing dimension for younger women raised in the shadow of #MeToo and the Epstein files. Music journalist Brittany Spanos explains how the babydoll dress has come to represent dramatically different things to different generations, and how Rodrigo’s use of it blurs the line between these varying interpretations.
The big fashion story of the moment is Shein buying Everlane. The companies are total opposites: Shein is the king of ultra-fast fashion and Everlane marketed itself as an eco-conscious and ethical clothing brand. Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with Clare Press, the host of the sustainable fashion podcast, ‘Wardrobe Crisis’ about what this acquisition says about our relationship with sustainable clothing.
Plus, Canadian poets haven’t won the most prestigious prize for Canadian poetry for the past 4 years, ever since International poets became eligible to win it too. And Canadian poets are not happy. Yesterday, prize organizers held a town hall to hear all sides. Poet Paul Vermeersch was there, and he’ll share what he heard and saw with Elamin
Held on May 24 in Las Vegas, the Enhanced Games is a rarity among international sporting competitions, in that it permits – and actively encourages – athletes to compete using performance enhancing drugs, thus earning the dubious nickname of the “Steroid Olympics.” Sports writers Morgan Campbell and Adam Skolnick discuss whether the games are just a silly spectacle, or a troubling bellwether of where sports – and wellness culture as a whole – could be heading.
Plus, classical music lost a legend this month. Cris Derksen was a prolific Cree cellist and composer, who was known for defying genres. Musician Jeremy Dutcher joins Elamin Abdelmahmoud to honour his friend, Cris Derksen, who died at the age of 45.
It’s the end of an era – when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert goes off the air (May 21). TV critic Eric Deggans, comedian Ashley Ray and political columnist Justin Ling join Elamin the morning after the finale to take stock of Colbert’s impact -- and the show that will fill his slot: Comics Unleashed.
With release of ‘I Love Boosters’ from Boots Riley and ‘Is God Is’ - the debut film from Aleshea Harris, Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by film critic Sarah-Tai Black and culture critic Rania El Mugammar to discuss the buzz around these two releases and the different ways these two films explore themes like revenge and justice.
Plus, the Canadian Grand Prix is this weekend! As Montreal gears up to welcome F1’s best drivers, TV host and F1 super-fan Michelle Jobin explains why women are growing the sport and what people can expect from Canada’s biggest race weekend.
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