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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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 Bee Quammie weigh on whether the new documentary 'Martha' is another celebrity puff piece disguised as a doc, or whether it’s able to dig deeper beyond Martha’s carefully curated public image.
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 Stratis and Kathleen Newman-Bremang.
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 she thinks her latest film 'Green Night,' a film set in South Korea, is proof that Fan Bingbing will never work in China again.
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 literary translations. Ali Hassan speaks with Michelle Cho, an East Asian Studies professor at the University of Toronto, about why there’s a controversy around the English translations of Han Kang’s books, and whether they are faithful to the original text.
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.
A recent Dragons' Den episode where guest judge Simu Liu raised the issue of cultural appropriation with the owners of a new bubble tea-styled product has generated a lot of online backlash. Elamin chats with the Toronto Star's food reporter Karon Liu about what this moment can teach us. Plus, the Korean reality show Culinary Class Wars has upended the formula for food competition TV. Elamin chats with Michelle Cho and Roxana Hadidi about why other cooking shows should be taking notes.
The Fred Perry polo was popular in UK subcultures for decades, but, in recent years, it's become known as the de facto uniform of an extreme right-wing organization. Fred Perry's denounced its association with the Proud Boys, meanwhile a new wave of artists are reinstating the polo as a symbol of inclusivity. Elamin talks to Rollie Pemberton and Jon McCann about the evolution of the Fred Perry brand. Plus, film critic Rad Simonpillai talks about the new HBO series The Franchise, a satire about the making of a big budget superhero movie.
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