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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The Polygamist is a new Zulu-language show that follows the life of a wealthy married couple in South Africa as they deal with the pressures of infidelity. It’s currently one of Netflix’s most watched shows. You’ll hear why it has captivated audiences around the world and the conversations it has opened up with culture critics Tayo Bero in Lagos, Nigeria and Zanele Mji in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Plus, stand up comedian Mary Beth Barone is known for her dead pan humour, her podcast Ride with comedian Benito Skinner, and her leading role on the college comedy, Overcompensating. Now, her new standup special, Galaxy Brain, is out. Comedian Ashley Ray joins Commotion to discuss if Barone’s Netflix debut lives up to the hype.
With the passing of legendary Canadian jazz pianist Oliver Jones, Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by principal Montreal Jazz Festival programmer Modibo Keita, jazz educator DJ Andy Williams, and Juno-award winning singer Molly Johnson to look back on Oliver Jones’ legacy and where they see it living on in today’s landscape.
Restaurant Impossible aired for 22 seasons on the Food Network before it was cancelled in 2023. Now it’s back, with Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg and celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez helping struggling restaurants across North America makeover their spaces and menus. Line cook Grace Onasanya and Michelle Jobin, former host of Toronto Dining, chat with Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how this restaurant reality show reboot lands during a time when the food industry landscape has changed so much because of the pandemic.
Plus, when Tyla’s single Water came out in 2023, she rose to fame globally, and was credited with introducing many fans to amapiano, a style of South African electronic music. Now, she’s just released a new album. It’s called A*Pop. Elamin is joined by culture critic Matt Amha to discuss the new album and the discourse surrounding Tyla’s rise in North America.
CBC Music correspondent Natalie Harmsen, Exclaim editor Megan LaPierre, and culture writer Joan Summers join Elamin Abdelmahmoud for a group chat digging into the highly anticipated new albums from the queen of Canadian country – Shania Twain, pop provocateur Charli XCX, and indie-sleaze icons The Strokes!
Climate change isn't a new subject for Canadian musicians to sing about, going back to Neil Young and Bruce Cockburn all the way up to Tanya Tagaq, The Weather Station, Kaeley Jade and many others. In the face of forest fires raging across the country, what is the place of music right now? Culture critic Riley Yesno and musician Tamara Lindeman AKA The Weather Station join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss.
Esther Perel has built an empire around helping people navigate relationships through her podcast and bestselling books. She recently served as a consultant on Olivia Wilde's couple's comedy The Invite, and was even a major inspiration for Penelope Cruz's character in the film. Culture writers Rebecca Jennings and Marisa Meltzer join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss how a couple's therapist infiltrated pop culture and why her ideas are resonating so widely today.
Director Clement Virgo says his latest film Steal Away is his most ambitious yet. Film critic Sarah-Tai Black talks about how the movie applies many different genre lenses -- Afrofuturism, horror and political allegory -- on a story rooted in Black Canadian history.
Thanks to popular social-media accounts like Track Star, to be a music fan online these days is to be inundated with quick-hit clips of musicians being quizzed on their music knowledge, or being asked to name their Top 10 albums. Music critics Emilie Hanskamp and Rollie Pemberton a.k.a. Cadence Weapon chat about the rise of this content with Elamin Abdelmahmoud.
Plus, Variety TV critic Aramide Tinubu shares her thoughts on Anya Taylor Joy's new thriller ‘Lucky’ on Apple TV. Based on a bestselling novel by Toronto author Marissa Stapley, the show follows the highly resourceful con-woman Lucky who is constantly on the run from FBI agents, mob bosses and her father's criminal legacy.
The 2026 World Cup is over. It took over five weeks, 48 countries and we finally have a winner! Who were the heroes and villains of this World Cup? And what kind of legacy does this tournament leave for Canadian soccer? CBC Sports contributors Shireen Ahmed and Morgan Campbell, and culture critic Matt Amha join Elamin Abdelmahmoud for a look back at this year’s World Cup.
Film critics Hanna Flint, David Ehrlich and Radheyan Simonpillai join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to review Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of The Odyssey.
Wildfires, heatwaves, and flood risks are becoming increasingly more common across Canada, and many arts and culture festivals are being forced to adapt and prepare for multi-level climate emergencies. Festival organizers Julie Fowler, Troy Greencorn and Adi Winterbourne join Elamin to describe the challenges festivals are facing, and the types of changes they’ve had to make.
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