Podcast
Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Hosted by CBC · EN
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.
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102episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A Tribute to Canadian Jazz Legend Oliver Jones
1w ago00:23:25Tap to summarizeWith 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.
Transcribe →Restaurant Impossible returns to TV, and Tyla's new album A*Pop
1w ago00:24:52Tap to summarizeRestaurant 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.
Transcribe →Weekly Wrap: New music from Shania Twain, Charli XCX, and The Strokes
2w ago00:27:22Tap to summarizeCBC 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!
Transcribe →The music of climate change grief
2w ago00:25:19Tap to summarizeClimate 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.
Transcribe →The cultural impact of couple's therapist Esther Perel, and Clement Virgo's film Steal Away
2w ago00:27:11Tap to summarizeEsther 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.
Transcribe →Why are celebs playing music trivia? And, Anya Taylor Joy's new TV show Lucky
2w ago00:22:59Tap to summarizeThanks 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.
Transcribe →A Messi end to the 2026 World Cup
2w ago00:32:48Tap to summarizeThe 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.
Transcribe →WEEKLY WRAP: Does 'The Odyssey' deliver?
3w ago00:35:25Tap to summarizeFilm critics Hanna Flint, David Ehrlich and Radheyan Simonpillai join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to review Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of The Odyssey.
Transcribe →How Climate Change is Threatening our Music Festivals
3w ago00:26:57Tap to summarizeWildfires, 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.
Transcribe →Why Brittany Allen submitted herself for an Emmy nom + Canada's newest music prize!
3w ago00:25:08Tap to summarizeCanadian actor Brittany Allen gave one of The Pitt’s most heart-wrenching performances of season 2 as the terminally ill mother Roxie Hamler. So when HBO decided not to submit her for Emmy consideration, Brittany submitted herself and is now a nominee in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Brittany joins Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about her performance and why she decided to submit herself for Emmy consideration. Plus - Canadian music has a brand new prize .. and it was announced at the same time as the Polaris prize revealed its shortlist for this year. But unlike the Polaris – the Meridian prize is ONLY open to artists from the North and Western Canada. Elamim Abdelmahmoud talks with CBC music journalist Natalie Harmsen
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