Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

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.

Episodes

September 25, 2025 25 mins

Elamin is joined by Kennya Giselle Rivera Sanabria and Reanna Cruz to look back on Bad Bunny’s historic 31 day residency in Puerto Rico (which ended this past Saturday) and what its success might mean for Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico, moving forward. Plus, Elamin is joined by culture critic Matt Amha to discuss the new graphic novel ‘Fela: Music Is The Weapon’ and how Fela Kuti’s legacy intersects with present day pop culture.


Mark as Played

Less than a week after being yanked off the air for comments he made about Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel is back. But will he be muzzled? TV critic Eric Deggans and comedian Ashley Ray join Elamin to talk about Kimmel's return to late night.

Mark as Played

Film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Sarah-Tai Black join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the film 'Him,' a Jordan Peele-produced horror film about American football culture, and the new Netflix drama Black Rabbit starring Jason Bateman and Jude Law. Plus, Toronto critic Joshua Chong discusses the Michael Jackson jukebox musical, ‘MJ: The Musical’ (which recently made its Toronto debut) and how it grapples – or doesn’t – ...

Mark as Played

Elamin is joined by culture critic Pablo The Don and CBC Music journalist Kelsey Adams to discuss Cardi B’s new album ‘Am I The Drama?’, the rollout in support of its release, and how the album compares to her 2018 debut. Plus, with four big productions of Samuel Beckett’s iconic play 'Waiting For Godot' being mounted within a single year, theatre critic Aisling Murphy joins Elamin to talk about why the play is having a moment, an...

Mark as Played

Walt Disney-owned ABC says it will indefinitely stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! after remarks the late-night host made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to CBC Senior Writer Jackson Weaver, TV critic Eric Deggans and culture writer Alyssa Mercante about the role of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in this moment and how it's sparking a debate over free speech.

Mark as Played

'Task,' starring Mark Ruffalo, is HBO’s latest big Sunday night show -- and the gritty drama is by the creator of 'Mare of Easttown,' which became must-watch TV when it aired in the same slot a few years ago. Critics Rachel Ho and Kathryn VanArendonk join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about whether 'Task' lives up to expectations.

Mark as Played

The winner of this year's Polaris Music Prize is Yves Jarvis and his album, 'All Cylinders.' Elamin is joined by 2022 Polaris Music Prize winner Cadence Weapon and culture critic Riley Yesno to react to this year’s results and assess the awards’ value as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Mark as Played

Remembering Robert Redford. The Iconic actor, legendary director, and unparalleled champion of Indie filmmaking has died. Teri Hart describes his contributions to cinema, and how he made the world a better place. Plus, culture critics Thomas Leblanc and Joyita Sengupta join Elamin to talk about SSENSE’s recent financial woes, and how the Montreal brand became a major player in the fashion industry.

Mark as Played
September 16, 2025 26 mins

Music journalists Tabassum Siddiqui, Rosie Long Decter, and Suzy Exposito discuss the new documentary, 'Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery,' which explores the groundbreaking legacy of Sarah McLachlan’s '90s-era all-female travelling music festival, and why revisiting its story is particularly meaningful in the current cultural moment.  

Mark as Played

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about Hamnet winning People's Choice, films they think should've gotten more attention, and reaction to the festival as a whole - and whether TIFF might be too celebrity focused. 

Mark as Played

The morning after the Emmy Awards, TV critics J. Kelly Nestruck and Roxana Hadadi talk about the big winners and snubs with guest host Amil Niazi. Plus, a new online trend called 'The Great Lock In' is creating buzz on TikTok. It’s a three month commitment to a rigid routine ahead of the New Year following summer’s indulgence and lack of structure. Is this just another glow up trend or a social response to something greater? Indepe...

Mark as Played

Teri Hart and Radheyan Simonpillai join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about some of the performances getting a lot of attention at this year's festival, including Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You,' and Dwayne Johnson in 'The Smashing Machine.' Then, they talk about some of their favourite international films in the line up - 'It Was Just An Accident' and 'No Other Choice.' 

Mark as Played

Music journalist Maura Johnston, culture writer Richie Assaly, and Leila Latif join the Group Chat to talk about the long-awaited sequel to Rob Reiner’s classic rock mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap; the new album from pop mega-star Ed Sheeran; Justin Bieber’s surprise sequel to his surprise album; and Lizzo’s war on the algorithm. 

Mark as Played

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join guest host Amil NIazi to talk about whether the Canadian line up at TIFF reflects this country's appetite to consume and support Canadian content. They also discuss why Blue Heron is capturing people's attention, the full circle moment for 'Modern Whore,' and share their favourite Canadian picks. 

Mark as Played

People in a small town in Michigan turned on each other trying to figure out who was viciously cyberbullying two young teenagers. In the end, the culprit was one of the victim’s own mother. Journalist Lauren Smiley joins Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the case, which is now the subject of a Netflix documentary called "Unknown Number: The Highschool Catfish" … and TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk weighs in with her take ...

Mark as Played

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart rush to our studios after watching 'The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,' and discuss the atmosphere outside the screening, the response to the film inside, and give their takes on the film.  

Mark as Played
September 10, 2025 25 mins

With the Toronto International Film Festival celebrating its 50th anniversary, Commotion guest host Amil Niazi is joined by film critics Barry Hertz, Sarah-Tai Black and CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver to celebrate the festival's past wins, present challenges, and how they’d like to see TIFF build on its half-century legacy. 

Mark as Played

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, the awkwardness of Q&As, and Teri declares 'Tuner' as her favourite film of TIFF so far

Mark as Played

'Joni’s Jazz' is a new four-disc box set that focuses on Joni Mitchell’s late-’70s explorations in jazz. Music journalist Carl Wilson and jazz singer Laila Biali join Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to talk about why Joni’s jazz phase is just as significant and influential as her more popular folk-song canon.


Also, after more than 30 years, American boxer Roy Jones Jr. received the gold Olympic medal–that many believed was snubb...

Mark as Played

Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin Abdelmahmood to discuss some of the films that have a lot of people talking this opening weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival. Plus, they have a difference in opinion over Baz Luhrmann's biographical drama, 'EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert,' and talk about Oscar buzz for Sydney Sweeney.

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.