Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

CBC Radio

Every day, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud brings you the most urgent, joyful, captivating discussions in all of arts, pop culture, and entertainment. Commotion is where you go for a thoughtful and vibrant chat working through the big culture stories.

  • 10 minutes 50 seconds
    What Nike got wrong about its MLK tribute shoe

    LeBron James and Nike are under fire after unveiling a new sneaker meant to honour the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The shoe’s colour palette is inspired by the Lorraine Motel, the site of MLK.’s assassination in 1968. Elamin talked to culture critic David Dennis Jr. around the time of the shoe's unveiling about why this tribute missed the mark, and what the brand should have done instead. 

    3 February 2026, 4:40 pm
  • 16 minutes 45 seconds
    Bad Bunny wins big and brings politics to the Grammys

    Bad Bunny wins big. KPop Demon Hunters also a big winner. Culture critics Pablo The Don and Niko Stratis to discuss the big wins, the snubs, and big surprises that happened at this year’s Grammy Awards with Elamin Abdelmahmoud.

    2 February 2026, 10:10 pm
  • 26 minutes 6 seconds
    How Catherine O’Hara made the whole world laugh

    Catherine O'Hara is one of Canada's most beloved stars. She’s known for her roles in Schitt's Creek, Home Alone, The Studio, Beetlejuice, and also her comedy on SCTV. Podcaster and writer Paul Myers, comedian and actor Jennifer Whalen (Baroness von Sketch, Small Achievable Goals), and TV and film producer Andrew Barnsley discuss the life and legacy of the iconic Canadian comedian and actor who died on January 30 at the age of 71. 

    2 February 2026, 4:40 pm
  • 27 minutes 1 second
    Friday Wrap: Send Help, Kanye West's apology, and Juno nominations

    Culture critics Radheyan Simonpillai, Emilie Hanskamp and Ashley Ray join the group chat to discuss the new Rachel McAdams thriller ‘Send Help,’ Kanye West’s apology for his long history of antisemitic comments and problematic behaviour, and the recently announced nominations for the 2026 Juno Awards.

    30 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 25 minutes 13 seconds
    Bridgerton S4, and how Star Trek and Game of Thrones are trying to land new audiences

    Season 4 of Bridgerton is here, with a Cinderella storyline and its first East Asian lead. And there are two new spinoff shows from the worlds of Star Trek and Game of Thrones, ‘A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms' and ‘Starfleet Academy’ respectively. And both shows seem to be taking those franchises in new directions. Elamin Abdelmahmoud is joined by senior writer at CBC entertainment Jackson Weaver, Vulture writer Roxana Hadadi and University of Toronto professor and pop culture critic Michelle Cho, to talk about these new shows and how they’re landing with fans.

    29 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 35 minutes 18 seconds
    How dystopian art helps us understand Minnesota

    Along with the images of the anti-ICE protests in Minnesota, this George Orwell quote is popping up everywhere, “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” People are turning to Orwell’s seminal dystopian novel ‘1984’ to understand this moment. Culture critics Jay Smooth, El Jones and author Lyz Lenz join Elamin to talk about the clashes between ICE agents and protestors that have resulted in two deaths, and the cultural touchstones that help us process.

    28 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 24 minutes 19 seconds
    The rise of stylists, and why we need jazz-pop right now

    It’s awards season and stylists are working overtime to make sure their A-list clients pull off career-defining looks, but that hasn’t always been the case. Elamin chats with fashion critic Jarrod Jenkins and fashion podcaster Avery Trufelman about the rise of celebrity stylists and their ability to make or break their clients’ careers. And Natalie Harmsen talks about the rising stars of jazz-pop, including Olivia Dean and Laufey, and why they’re giving us the perfect soundtrack for 2026. 

    27 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 22 minutes 25 seconds
    The streamer iShowSpeed toured across Africa. How did it land?

    Pablo The Don, Matt Amha and Ivy Prosper join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the buzz around iShowSpeed’s African tour, and the successes and controversies that have underpinned his journey to becoming one of the biggest streamers in the world.

    26 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 31 minutes 33 seconds
    Friday Wrap: Canada Shore, Oscar noms and the Beckham family drama

    The infamous late-2000s MTV reality show ‘Jersey Shore’ gets a Canuck spin but does the hot-mess spectacle translate north of the border? Culture writers Amil Niazi, Mel Woods, and Hanna Flint join the Group Chat to share their impressions 'Canada Shore' and weigh in on the Oscar nominations and how the drama brewing inside the Beckham family is upending the typical nepo-baby narrative. 

    23 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 30 minutes 57 seconds
    Revealing the 2026 Canada Reads books and champions

    The great Canadian book debate is back! The star-studded cast of Canada Reads 2026 is revealed on Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, along with the five books they think all of Canada should read. The Canada Reads debates take place April 13 to 16.

    22 January 2026, 5:10 am
  • 25 minutes 10 seconds
    Why are we yearning for 2016? and Hilary Duff's comeback

    If Instagram feels like a time-machine right now, you’re not alone. A lot of people are waxing nostalgic for the lives we were living a decade ago. So why are we obsessed with 2016? Culture critics Vinson Cunningham and Madison Malone Kircher talk about the trend with host Elamin Abdelmahmoud, and what it tells us about this cultural moment. And pop culture writer Emilie Hanskamp talks about Hilary Duff's first real comeback with new music in more than a decade.

    21 January 2026, 5:10 am
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