Netflix’s documentary about freediving, The Deepest Breath, has becomes one of the sleeper hits of the summer. Writer Adam Skolnick and climber Brette Harrington look at the growing appeal of extreme-sports documentaries — and the ethical issues they raise. Plus, the animated show Bluey is beloved by kids, grown-ups and TV critics. Vulture's Kathryn VanArendonk looks at what makes Bluey one of the best shows on TV right now.

Robertson's friends and musical collaborators Daniel Lanois and Tom Wilson help us remember the legacy of the rock 'n' roll powerhouse. The Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter is one of the founding architects behind The Band. Plus, we also pay tribute to the late American singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez.

Culture writers Sarah-Tai Black and Ian Steaman stop by Commotion to talk about the new horror-comedy film The Blackening, and the ways it pays homage to the horror genre while challenging historic tropes around Black characters. Plus, Alyssa Bereznak of The Ringer explains why Reddit’s most dedicated users are staging a revolt on the site, and what it means for the future of how we use the internet.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Ashley Ray, Morgan Campbell and comedian Natalie Norman join Elamin to discuss Adam Sandler's new Netflix film, You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, this week's viral moment surrounding track star Noah Nyles, and whether Ontario's ban on gambling ads featuring celebrities and athletes is a good thing.

Taylor Swift has re-released her 2010 album Speak Now, the first record she wrote entirely on her own. Tyler Foggatt, Joe Coscarelli and Jen Sookfong Lee talk about the new version, and how Taylor Swift has managed to get even more popular over the pandemic.

Irish-Canadian writer Anakana Schofield, culture writer Niko Stratis and music critic Maura Johnston join guest host Amil Niazi to look back at the life and career of outspoken Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, who died yesterday at the age of 56.

Sports culture critic Morgan Campbell and comedian/podcaster Ashley Ray join guest host Amil Niazi to discuss what the HBO series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and the breaking controversy surrounding the Oscar-winning sports biopic The Blind Side might say about where the appropriate line should be between fact and fiction. Plus, music journalist Michael Tedder discusses his new book Top Eight: How Myspace Changed Music, and what made the site’s convergence of indie music and social media so special.

After arriving in a storm of controversy and bad reviews, The Weeknd’s sleazy music-industry satire The Idol concluded its five-episode run this past weekend. Vulture writers Nate Jones and Hunter Harris talk about whether the show managed to redeem itself in the end, and how its rocky reception might affect The Weeknd’s brand going forward. Plus, Rob Gronfors lovingly restored a whole archive of Super 8 concert footage shot by his friend in the 1970s. He tells host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the Speedy Films archive, and what it shows us about bands like Pink Floyd in their prime.

Fyre Festival produced the saddest-looking sandwiches you ever saw, stranded party-goers in the Bahamas — and landed its organizer in jail. But after serving time for fraud, Billy McFarland is selling tickets to Fyre Festival 2. Alyssa Bereznak explains how we got here. Plus, Suzy Exposito and Shaad D’Souza tell guest host Talia Schlanger about why pop artists are struggling to break through, and how a middle class of stars have demonstrated a new model of career sustainability.

TikTok has turned some comedians into household names — but others say these viral one-minute videos are killing the art of a long joke. Comedians Andrea Jin and John Cullen tell guest host Amil Niazi about what's gained and what's lost in this era of TikTok comedy. Plus, shark movies have been a rite of summer for decades. The sharks tend to get bigger and bigger, and the plots weirder and weirder. Culture commentator Matt Hart takes on The Meg 2, which opens in theatres this Thursday.

For this week's wrap panel, comedian Ashley Ray joins culture critics Sarah-Tai Black, Peter Knegt and guest host Amil Niazi to discuss Carly Rae Jepsen's latest album, what the new Netflix series Survival of The Thickest can tell us about body positivity in 2023, and why Doja Cat’s recent treatment of her online fans is actually nothing new.

The ongoing strikes by actors and writers in Hollywood means work is grinding to a halt here in Canada – with devastating consequences. Canadian actor Carolina Bartczak and Canadian screenwriter Anthony Q. Farrell tell host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the impact, and why some Canadians in film and TV feel their U.S. counterparts are fighting the fight on their behalf.

Veteran filmmaker Jennifer Holness and film critic Sarah-Tai Black react to the latest reboot of the filmmaking reality series Project Greenlight, and whether new celebrity mentors Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani are able to overcome the diversity challenges the original series faced. Plus, Christian Cooper, host of a new show on National Geographic, joins Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about bringing birding to new audiences.

Film critics Sarah-Tai Black and Rad Simonpillai join guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss the lineup announcements and their favourite films appearing at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and how the ongoing strike might affect this year’s festivities. Plus, Vulture culture critic Kathryn VanArendonk talks about HBO's unconventional true crime docuseries Telemarketers, created by two former telemarketers.

Samantha Irby has built a devoted fan base with her hilarious essay collections that range from commentary on her favourite Dave Matthews songs to stories about the uncanny experience of trying to cast an actor to play her in a TV show. She tells Elamin Abdelmahmoud about some of her pop culture obsessions, writing for the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That, and more from her latest bestselling book Quietly Hostile.

The writers' and actors' strikes in Hollywood have sparked renewed conversations in the music industry on whether songwriters and performers could also take similar action to improve their working conditions and royalty rates. Journalist Luke Ottenhof and industry veteran Allison Outhit discuss the structural barriers that make labour organization more difficult for musicians, and where the opportunities for mobilization exist. Plus, Canadian voice actor Kelly Sheridan played Barbie in Mattel’s animated film franchise for over 10 years. She joins Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to reflect on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie — the first made for adults.

On National Indigenous Peoples Day, multidisciplinary artist Santee Smith, Inuk artist Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, musician Raven Kanatakta and Cree author and playwright Tomson Highway stop by Commotion to help us celebrate the power of Indigenous art and artists to create the change they want to see in the world.

JD Ryznar and Dave Lyons, co-creators of the mid-2000s comedic web-series Yacht Rock, discuss how the joke genre they coined led to a legitimate smooth-music renaissance in pop culture — and how that’s led to a distorted definition of what yacht rock is all about. Plus, journalist Anne Helen Petersen takes us inside the online phenomenon known as RushTok: the real-time TikTok dispatches of young women vying for a coveted spot in the University of Alabama’s elite sororities.

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing Hollywood’s actors, will either join screenwriters on picket lines or sign a new transformative deal. Teri Hart breaks down the key issues at the bargaining table and how this will affect the WGA strike. Plus, culture critics and Beastie Boys super fans Niko Stratis and Stuart Berman discuss the impact of the Beastie’s fifth studio album, Hello Nasty, in honour of its 25th anniversary.

Culture writer Paul Myers helps us remember Paul Reubens, the iconic actor best known for his beloved '80s character Pee-wee Herman. Plus, striking Hollywood writers and actors are no closer to a deal with the studios. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, some people are cancelling their streaming subscriptions to put some pressure on the studios. Guest host Amil Niazi speaks with a Canadian who’s done just that, and entertainment journalist Teri Hart about why consumers don’t have a whole lot of leverage.

It’s not a secret that things at Twitter are chaotic, but the conversation about its future took an interesting turn last week after Meta launched its Twitter clone, Threads. In the battle for social media dominance, could Threads be the first app to kill Twitter? The Ringer's Alyssa Bereznak and media studies professor Siva Vaidhyanathan discuss what might happen next. Plus, last Thursday, Sterling Larose’s video for the song Damn Right by Snotty Nose Rez Kids won the annual Prism Prize for best Canadian-made music video. The Vancouver-based filmmaker tells host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about his big victory.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critic Amil Niazi, comedian James Mullinger and music critic Lindsay Zoladz discuss: 1) Wes Anderson’s new meta-narrative film Asteroid City, 2) Kelly Clarkson’s long-anticipated divorce album Chemistry, and 3) Taylor Swift leaving Canada off the Eras Tour schedule.

In recent years, there have been a bunch of docuseries released that offer viewers an inside look at the world of professional sports — from soccer and golf, to cycling and F1 racing. The aim of these shows is to bring in new fans, but some insiders say when the series are presented like a sporty reality show, it misses the point of sports entirely. Professional athlete Michael Woods and sports journalists Morgan Campbell and Kaitlyn McGrath examine how these series are driving new audiences to watch sports — but at what cost?

For this week's group chat, culture critics Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Sarah-Tai Black and Rad Simonpillai drop by to talk about 1) Beyonce’s hit single Crazy In Love turning 20 this summer, 2) the backlash some influencers have faced for supporting fast fashion giant Shein, and 3) the CBC’s list of the 50 greatest films directed by Canadians.

With Elemental having the worst opening ever for a Pixar film and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse still dominating the box office, Elamin Abdelmahmoud checks in with entertainment critics Corey Atad and Petrana Radulovic about the creative shift happening in animation right now. Plus, jazz fan and media personality Garvia Bailey explains why so many jazz festival line-ups include artists from other genres.

Culture critic Dalton Higgins and event producer Ian Andre Espinet discuss the rise of hip-hop nostalgia concerts and what they might say about the way we value older rap demos today. Plus, with news of a missing submersible in the Atlantic Ocean dominating social media, New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac explains how this grim story so quickly inspired a deluge of jokes and memes — and what that says about us.

Culture critics Niko Stratis, Rad Simonpillai and Cassie Cao join our weekly wrap panel to talk about: 1) The Flash and the controversies surrounding star Ezra Miller, 2) what the sale of the Golden Globes could mean for the future of the embattled awards show, 3) whether cliffhangers in big screen franchises actually work, and 4) Harry and Meghan's split from Spotify.

When the court case between ex-spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was livestreamed, it opened a window into a celebrity marriage gone wrong. Culture writers Kat Tenbarge and Izzy Ampil join guest host Amil Niazi to discuss the new Netflix docuseries retelling the defamation case, and to look back on the internet’s vitriolic attacks on Amber Heard. Plus, comedian and podcast host Jessi Cruickshank talks about The Hills reality stars Heidi & Spencer’s latest chase for fame.

If you watch TV these days, you may have noticed it feels like everyone is in therapy — from sitcoms like Ted Lasso and Never Have I Ever to reality shows like Bling Empire. And it’s not just TV; movies, podcasts and TikTok influencers have all begun to turn therapy and mental health into entertainment. Culture writers Delia Cai and Ishani Nath talk about how it impacts us, for better and for worse.

Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman has a big hit on her hands with the teen sex comedy Bottoms. Culture writers Madeline Ducharme and Mel Woods join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their thoughts on the wonderfully absurd and hilarious movie, and look at how queer coming-of-age is growing up on screen. Plus, Bloomberg reporter Ashley Carman explains how white noise podcasters have cut into Spotify’s annual profits by $38 million dollars.

With the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. expected to pursue antitrust action against Amazon’s monopolistic bookselling practices, authors Jen Sookfong Lee and Anakana Schofield talk about how the online retail empire has impacted the publishing industry and their own careers. Plus, Canadian translator Yilin Wang’s original translations of Chinese poetry were used by the British Museum in London in an exhibit without her permission or crediting her. She tells guest host Talia Schlanger about what her experience with the British Museum says about how the work of translators is valued.

Even if you hate Barbie, you’re living in her world right now. As the anticipation for Greta Gerwig's latest movie reaches new heights, culture critics Niko Stratis, Gabrielle Drolet and Jason P. Frank join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the massive film marketing campaign that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before.

For our end-of-week group chat, culture critics Niko Stratis, Richie Assaly and Chandler Levack join guest host Amil Niazi to discuss Bradley Cooper’s controversial prosthetic nose for his role as the Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein in the upcoming biopic Maestro, and two very different viral hits currently breaking the internet: Virginia country singer Oliver Anthony’s conservative-leaning protest song Rich Men North of Richmond, and DJ Crazy Times’ retro dance pop satire, Planet of the Bass.

Culture critics Ryan Britt and Hanna Flint join guest host Talia Schlanger to review Ahsoka, the latest standalone series in the Star Wars canon, and whether this live-action take on one of the franchise’s most beloved animated characters does justice to her legacy. Plus, Leela Gilday is a Dene musician who had to evacuate Yellowknife due to wildfires. She talks about music’s power to heal and reflects on her own relationship to the environment through her music.

After being acquitted of sexual assault charges in a London court last week, actor Kevin Spacey has vowed to make a comeback — but will Hollywood let him? Film producer Kate Wilson and culture writer Jason P. Frank talk about what happens when disgraced entertainers are legally exonerated of wrongdoing, but still deemed guilty in the court of public opinion. Plus, The Bear's sophmore season is finally available in Canada. Toronto line cook and TV fan Grace Onasanya explains why it was worth the wait.

With summer blockbuster season upon us, culture critics Rad Simonpillai, Cassie Cao and Sarah Hagi sit down with host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their thoughts on the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, and why the new film Joy Ride has got critics talking.

Film critic Nick Allen and journalist Justin Ling explain how Sound of Freedom, a small independent film released by a faith-based studio, became the surprise movie success story of the summer — and how it’s become a lightning rod in the divisive culture wars currently raging across North America. Plus, fashion critic Mosha Lundström Halbert joins Elamin to discuss the life and legacy of singer and fashion icon Jane Birkin, who passed away on Sunday.

Journalists Andrea Williams and Emily Nussbaum join Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to discuss the polarizing reactions to Jason Aldean’s latest single, Try That In A Small Town. Plus, if streaming changed the Hollywood business model, how much will AI disrupt it? Futurist Sinead Bovell unpacks why actors have made it a key part of their labour negotiations.

If “ice cream so good” doesn’t mean anything to you, you probably haven’t come across Pinkydoll. Internet culture experts Rebecca Jennings and Samantha Cole talk about how the Montreal-based TikTok livestreamer became famous overnight — and why that matters. Plus, author Elizabeth Winder tells Commotion guest host Amil Niazi why The Rolling Stones would never have become rock 'n' roll legends without four women behind the scenes who made them who they are.

Jennifer Lawrence is back in a comedy called No Hard Feelings, where parents hire her character to sleep with their timid 19-year-old son. Escort-turned-author Andrea Werhun and stripper/sex advice columnist/academic Alex Tigchelaar provide a sex worker’s perspective on what the film says about where we are with sex comedies. Plus, culture critic Ian Steaman shares why Dear Mama, the new Disney+ docuseries on the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur, might be the best ‘Pac documentary to date.

The Commotion Friday Group Chat convenes to celebrate the cinematic event of the summer — Barbenheimer Day! Panelists Chandler Levack, Kristy Puchko and Jason P. Frank give their reviews of Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, and discuss how a fun comedic tribute to a beloved doll and a dark biopic about the inventor of the atomic bomb became such strange bedfellows in the world of online memes.

Madonna turned 65 this year, and she’s set to go on tour this fall. Culture critics Craig Seymour, Maura Johnson and Syrus Marcus Ware join Elamin to look back at Madonna’s reign as the Queen of Pop — including the hits, misses and criticisms — and how her legacy holds up all these years later.

Netflix's Black Mirror has always been hailed for its prophetic critique of modern technology — and this season, it's taking aim at Netflix itself. Culture critics Amil Niazi and Kathryn VanArendonk discuss the meta-AI episode that has everyone talking. Plus, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child had a record-breaking run in Toronto — but if it weren’t for the pandemic, could it have lasted longer than 13 months? Theatre critic Glenn Sumi talks about the costs of producing such a magical show, and the theatre industry's ongoing struggle to recover from COVID-19.

The new queer-themed romance films Red, White & Royal Blue and Passages respectively received R and NC-17 ratings from the Motion Picture Association. CBC News correspondent Jenna Benchetrit explains why films about queer romance have historically been held to a different, more restrictive standard by ratings boards. Plus, culture critic Stacy Lee Kong and romance author Farah Heron talk about what happened when an NHL hockey team welcomed attention from BookTok for its real life players, and how to thirst responsibly on the internet.

As the opening to TIFF grows closer, film fans are watching how Hollywood actors are navigating the red carpets and cameras at the Venice International Film Festival. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with film critics Elena Lazic, Teri Hart and Rad Simonpillai about how the ongoing actors’ strike is affecting international film festivals, and what they're seeing at the unofficial start of Oscar season.

After barely surviving the pandemic, music venue operators are now faced with a new existential threat: a significant decrease in drinking among younger Gen Z concert-goers. And that’s starting to impact venues’ most important revenue source – bar sales. Pitchfork writer Cat Zhang explains why this is happening among her cohort, while Toronto venue manager Shawn Creamer (formerly of The Dakota Tavern, now with 888Yonge) shares how venues are adapting to this generational shift.

For the latest installment of Commotion’s hip-hop 50 celebrations, veteran music journalist Dalton Higgins, DJ Mel Boogie and Mastermind join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud for a look back at the rise of one of Canada’s oldest and world-renowned hip-hop cities: Toronto.

Culture critic Teri Hart joins Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to discuss the controversy surrounding a recent episode of Below Deck Down Under and what it might say about where the line between reality show and real life sits in 2023. Plus, tech writer Chris Stokel-Walker looks at what AI could mean for the future of video creation and the relationships creators have with their audience.

Hip-hop might have begun in NYC, but the culture is undoubtedly a global phenomenon. DJ and music journalist Jesse Bernard joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to take us on a brief journey through the history of UK rap. Plus, New York Times writer Brian Josephs talks about the legacy of mixtape site DatPiff.com, and why archiving the catalogues of sites like DatPiff is important.

Celebrated Quebec filmmaker Xavier Dolan recently declared that he’s done with making movies. Writer/filmmaker Chandler Levack and Montreal Gazette film columnist T’Cha Dunlevy explain why his comments have struck such a deep nerve in the film world. Plus, as #BookTok grows, the owner of the social media platform is getting into the publishing business. Jael Richardson talks about TikTok's reported approach so far, and digs into how #BookTok has upended the publishing industry.

The Sex and the City spin-off, And Just Like That..., wraps up its second season this week. For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Amil Niazi, Chris Murphy and Lainey Lui join guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss how Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha's New York City exploits continue to leave an indelible mark on our culture, as well as the resurgence of Suits and the return of NSYNC.

British professor Elly McCausland explains why she’s launching a Taylor Swift-inspired literature course at Belgium’s Ghent University this fall, while hip-hop historian Dalton Higgins details his experience teaching a Drake-themed course at Toronto Metropolitan University, to highlight the value of bringing pop culture into the classroom. Plus, author Jael Richardson tells host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about what she says to anyone who thinks that listening to an audiobook doesn’t count as reading.

Chris Payne, author of the new emo oral history Where Are Your Boys Tonight?, explains how this underground punk subgenre reshaped the sound of pop music in the 21st century. Plus, we bid farewell to Writers & Company host Eleanor Wachtel ahead of her retirement at the end of this season after 33 years with the celebrated national program.

Hollywood actors are now on strike, Hollywood writers have been on strike since May, the studios and streamers are perhaps more powerful than they’ve ever been — and there are a lot of questions about where the industry goes from here. In this special edition of our end-of-week group chat, Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk, Vanity Fair writer Chris Murphy and WGA strike captain Kathryn Borel explain just how broken the business of entertainment is, and what we can expect to happen next as the strike unfolds.

Canadian Swifties are on the hunt for tickets to the Eras World Tour. Taylor Swift announced last week an extension of her tour which includes six dates in Toronto. Plus, rapper Tory Lanez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

TV experts Kathryn VanArendonk, Nina Metz and Emily Longeretta look ahead to the fall television season and discuss how the ongoing labour disputes in Hollywood will affect what we’re going to see on our screens. Plus, we remember musicians Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth and Jimmy Buffet, who died over the weekend.

Lizzo is the rare celebrity who seemed to use her power for good, but a recent lawsuit from three former dancers is casting doubt on her inclusive, joyful brand. For this week's wrap panel, comedian Ashley Ray joins writers Hanna Flint and Jen Sookfong Lee, along with guest host Amil Niazi, to unpack the story. Plus, the panel review two new films, Shortcomings and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

It’s been 20 years since the first podcast was shared with the world. Today on Commotion, podcast producer Kattie Laur and podcast critic Nicholas Quah explains how the medium has changed our culture, and what the future of podcasting sounds like.

For this week's wrap panel, culture writers Tyler Foggatt, Joe Coscarelli and Jen Sookfong Lee talk about the re-release of Taylor Swift's 2010 album Speak Now, the arrival of Threads, Instagram's Twitter rival, and the current contenders for song of the summer.

At a time when there’s been an increase in cigarettes and vaping, particularly among young people, culture writers Olivia Rose Rushing and Anne T. Donahue dig into why viewers might be seeing a lot more smoking on TV and movies right now from shows like The Idol, Stranger Things and movies like Oppenheimer and Top Gun: Maverick. Plus, these days film critic reviews take a back seat to the power of the social media influencer. Film critic and actor Manuela Lazic talks about what this new dynamic means for moviegoers.

HBO's new docuseries Telemarketers follows a pair of work buddies who find themselves in the middle of a massive scam — and it's one of this year's surprise hit shows. Co-director Sam Lipman-Stern joins Elamin to talk about how he knew this story needed to be shared, and what it was like making this docuseries over the last 20 years.

Farhad Delaram’s film Achilles is having its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. He sits down with Elamin to talk about the cost of making art in Iran. Plus, Coralie LaPerrière is a comedian in Quebec who regularly calls out the province’s "boys club" comedy culture. She talks about the range of reactions to her calls for more diversity in lineups, and what systemic changes she hopes to see in Quebec’s comedy scene.

For this week's wrap panel, Kathryn VanArendonk breaks down Rolling Stone Magazine's investigation into the culture behind The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, plus Niko Stratis and Falen Johnson share their reactions to Olivia Rodrigo’s new album GUTS, and explain why some are calling the latest episode of the final season of Reservation Dogs required viewing for all settlers.

Journalist Lane Brown investigated the popular film review site Rotten Tomatoes — and found out just how skewed the rankings really are. He joins film critic Rad Simonpillai and host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss what's going on with the business of film criticism more broadly. Plus, Drew Barrymore has announced her daytime talk show is back in production amid the Hollywood writers' strike. Entertainment reporter Teri Hart unpacks this choice, and the fallout so far.

When Louis C.K. was accused of sexual misconduct by a group of women, he did something different: he admitted it, said sorry. Then, he turned his experience into one of the most successful comedy tours in recent history. Two filmmakers join Elamin to talk about how the saga illuminates so-called cancel culture. Plus, Alison Herman explains why the new live action version of the popular manga series One Piece has been more successful than past attempts.

Filmmaker Thom Zimny discusses his new documentary, Sly, which takes an intimate look at the life of Sylvester Stallone and celebrates the cinematic auteur lurking behind his muscle-bound action-hero image.

Vancouver author Alex Kazemi joins Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss his audacious debut novel, New Millennium Boyz — a no-holds-barred account of late '90s adolescence that posits the crass youth culture of the Y2K era as a harbinger of the toxic masculinity and online hostility that permeate our lives today. Plus, with the final season of Netflix’s UK crime series Top Boy out now, culture critic Ian Steaman talks about the show’s legacy and why it resonated so much with fans on this side of the pond.

USA Today is hiring two new reporters — one focused on Taylor Swift, and one dedicated to Beyoncé. These job postings raise all sorts of questions about the state of pop culture journalism today. For this week's wrap panel, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with culture critics Eli Glasner, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Mastermind about this and other big stories of the week.

Vulture pop culture and film critic Nate Jones joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the new comedy Dumb Money, inspired by the 2021 GameStop stock controversy, and what it says about Hollywood's thirst for quick turnarounds ripped from the headlines. Plus, Toronto music historian Daniel Tate explains how rare video footage he procured of Drake’s dad, Dennis Graham, became part of the rollout plan for the rapper’s new album, For All the Dogs.

When it comes to music, who decides what’s good? From boomers to kids on TikTok, the goal posts are constantly shifting. Culture writers Kelefa Sanneh and Niko Stratis wade into the debate around Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner, who is facing backlash for profiling seven white male rock musicians in his new book The Masters — at the exclusion of everyone else.

In this special episode of Commotion, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with Montreal’s Debby Friday about last night's Polaris Music Prize gala, where the singer won the top prize for her debut album, Good Luck. She talks about what it felt like to win an award based on artistic merit alone, why she is so passionate about producing her own music, and what it means to her to represent Montreal on the Polaris stage.

Facing allegations that include rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse, British comedian Russell Brand claims the mainstream media is working against him. Reporters Kat Tenbarge and Alyssa Bereznak unpack the story and explain why Brand’s YouTube subscribers are primed to distrust the media. Plus, journalist Deirdre Kelly talks about her new book Fashioning The Beatles, and why their sense of style was as important to their success as their music.

We’ve all heard the line “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but millions of us are nonetheless swayed by a good blurb on the cover. Authors Jen Sookfong Lee and Anakana Schofield join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to delve into the power of blurbs — and how they’re more about personal connections than a book’s real merit. Plus, the season finale of the superhero series Moving, based on the popular webtoon by Kang Full, dropped this week on Disney+. Regina Kim talks about why so many webtoons are being adapted for TV.

Hasan Minhaj is in the news this week after The New Yorker published an exposé revealing that some of the personal stories the comedian told in his stand-up weren't true. It's raising the question: how much are comedians allowed to stretch the truth? Comedians Cassie Cao, John Cullen and Brandon Ash-Mohammed join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to get into this as well as the recent praise the series Sex Education is receiving.

HYBE and JYP, two of Korea’s biggest music labels, are launching new girl groups on reality shows. But instead of casting just East and Southeast Asian performers, they’re open to artists of any background. What does it mean to create a girl group in the style of K-pop? Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson tell host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how the experiment is playing out on YouTube. Plus Alison O’Daniel, a visual artist and filmmaker on the deaf spectrum, talks about why she thinks we should all get used to the idea of seeing text on screen, all the time.

The Writers Guild of America is poised to end its five-month strike after reaching a tentative deal with the studios. Writers Kathryn Borel and Jackie Penn join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share why they have their hopes up. Plus, with news that the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony has ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy, Orchestra Canada's Executive Director Katherine Carleton shares her reaction to the news and what it might say about the future of Canada’s live orchestra industry.

The Kansas City Chiefs football game on Sunday was dramatically overshadowed by the presence of Taylor Swift, who cheered from a private viewing suite after being publicly courted by star tight end Travis Kelce for months. Culture writers Tyler Foggatt and Mel Woods join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the publicity politics at play. Plus, Mel Woods talks about the return of anthology series American Horror Story and the effectiveness of stunt casting.

ET Canada, Corus Entertainment's flagship TV entertainment program, was cancelled this week after 18 years on the air. What does it mean for entertainment journalism in Canada to lose a show like this? Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud gets into that, plus what's new with The Golden Bachelor, with culture writers Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Amil Niazi and author Jael Richardson.

The most iconic super models of the late '80s and early '90s are reuniting on the cover of this month’s Vogue magazine, and for a new Apple TV+ documentary series. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks about their staying power — and how they changed the game — with models and culture critics Hanna Ellis and Bee Quammie. Plus, on the eve of their induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame, ‘80s rock trailblazers Lee Aaron and Carole Pope talk about the different paths they took as women disrupting the Canadian music industry.

As part of Commotion’s celebration of hip-hop at 50, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud explores the emergence of Indigenous rap as a crucial outlet for social commentary across Canada with Vancouver rapper JB the First Lady, Toronto-based producer David Strickland, and Winnipeg MC Sly Skeeta.

Culture critic Ian Steaman joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to react to the latest arrest in the murder of Tupac Shakur, and why after 26 years this unsolved case continues to resonate within today's zeitgeist. Plus, screenwriter and showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell and culture critic Kathryn VanArendonk talk about what the Hollywood writers' strike actually changed, and what we can expect in the future.

Are NFTs dead? Tech reporter and friend of Commotion Alyssa Bereznak recaps the NFT goldrush of the 2020s as a whirlwind of money and celebrity endorsements that ultimately crashed. Plus, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud speaks with Cassa Pancho, the founder of the groundbreaking company Ballet Black, about how she’s shaking up the world of ballet.

Late night shows were the first casualty of the writers' strike and, after being dark for 5 months, they’re the first to be back on air — but did anyone really miss them? Entertainment reporters Teri Hart and Eric Deggans discuss how the writers' strike changed late night TV, and what might lie ahead. Plus, music journalist Steven Hyden shares a first-person account of U2’s grand-opening show at Sphere, the new $2 billion video-dome venue in Las Vegas that sets a lofty new standard for live entertainment.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Mastermind, Sarah-Tai Black and Marlon Palmer join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to react to Drake's new album, For All The Dogs, and the latest messy and explosive season of Love Is Blind on Netflix.

From Jay-Z and Beyoncé to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, we have a cultural fascination with power couples. But what makes for a good power couple, and how transactional is love when you get to a certain level of celebrity? For this special edition of Commotion, culture writers and show regulars Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Rad Simonpillai and Niko Stratis join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to weigh in on all of this — in front of a live audience, onstage at Toronto's Buddies in Bad Times theatre.

As concert ticket prices continue to skyrocket and the richest pop stars keep getting richer, small neighborhood music venues — the places where future stars are born — have been shuttering from coast to coast. Today on Commotion, Toronto music promoter Jonathan Bunce, Pop Montreal founder Dan Seligman and Vancouver musician/playwright Leah Abramson join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to diagnose the root causes of the problem and identify potential solutions for revitalizing local music scenes.

Although critics are slamming the new Exorcist movie, it's still number one at the box office. Horror fans Jen Sookfong Lee and Matt Hart make the case for the original Exorcist, and weigh in on why we love to be scared at the movies. Plus, Sikh hip-hop academic Sara Grewal discusses the political fallout from an IG post made by Punjabi-Canadian hip-hop artist Shubh and how that, along with ongoing tensions between Canada's and India’s respective governments, is shaping how Punjabi-Canadian artists navigate the global music economy.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Rad Simonpillai, Anne T. Donahue and Dalton Higgins weigh in on Netflix’s David Beckham docuseries, and the way Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film is ushering in a concert movie renaissance.

The CRTC announced that streaming services like Spotify and Netflix will need to register their information with the CRTC as it implements the Online Streaming Act passed in April. Podcast critic Nicholas Quah, policy expert Vass Bednar and podcast host Mattea Roach discuss how the podcasting industry, both in Canada and abroad, has reacted to the news. Plus, author Cory Doctorow explains why he goes out of his way to sell the audiobook versions of his books without Amazon.

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie earned the biggest North American opening for a Canadian movie in over a decade. Barry Hertz and Syrus Marcus Ware, parents and culture critics, talk with guest host Amil Niazi about Paw Patrol’s dominance and the social criticisms it’s drawn. Plus, theatre director Marc Gourdeau explains why companies are fighting to change a law in Quebec that bans actors from smoking on stage.

They’re the hosts that brought you the Webby award-winning Let’s Make A Sci-Fi – one of The New Yorker’s Best Podcasts of 2022. They brought the heart and humour with the follow up season, Let’s Make a Rom-Com. This time they’re going to make you laugh while they try to make you scream. Over 10 episodes, Maddy, Mark, and Ryan will learn what it takes to make truly frightening horror. They’ll meet the creators who make horror such an enduring genre. They’ll meet the people who love to be scared and they’ll take a stab at their own short, shocking film. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/wgRYoCLp

The biggest pop star on the planet became the world’s biggest movie star this weekend with the opening of the highly-anticipated concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. Swifties Amelia Eqbal and Eva Zhu join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about whether it lives up to the hype. Plus, Elamin Abdelmahmoud speaks with veteran music journalist and filmmaker Nelson George about a brand new CBC doc he executive produced, called Black Life: Untold Stories.

As Commotion continues its coverage of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, guest host Amil Niazi looks at India’s rap history with HipHop-N-More website founder and Mass Appeal India exec Navjosh Singh.

Brooklyn’s KAWS has become the toast of the global street art scene and collectible toy market. Toronto Star contributer Sue Carter and Heistdro of Toronto designer toy boutique Collective explain why some critics in the art world aren’t happy about him receiving his own exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Plus, LA Times critic Suzy Exposito talks about Bad Bunny’s surprise album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, and what his massive success means for Latin music and culture.

Jada Pinkett Smith has always been known for sharing intimate details of her personal life, but with the publication of her memoir Worthy, readers are realizing there's a whole lot she's kept secret until now. Culture critics and friends of Commotion Kyle Buchanan, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Bee Quammie talk with guest host Amil Niazi about how Pinkett Smith is taking charge of the conversation. Plus, they share their thoughts on Drake’s son Adonis Graham's first single and A24's first movie musical, Dicks: The Musical.

Sufjan Stevens is a songwriter of big feelings, and his tenth studio album, Javelin, proves he’s still at the top of his game. Culture critics Craig Jenkins and Mel Woods talk with host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how the album, dedicated to Stevens' late partner Evans Richardson IV, is a study in grief, love and honouring the big relationships in your life. Plus, CBC Sports senior contributor Shireen Ahmed discusses the hottest rivalry in the NBA, between star reporters Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania.

"Milli Vanilli" is a new documentary that unpacks the lip sync scandal behind one of the biggest acts of the '80s. The doc's executive producer Hanif Abdurraqib joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the legacy of the scandal, and what the media and fans might've missed when it first broke. Plus, Pitchfork contributing editor Philip Sherburne explains why people are concerned for the state of music-sharing website Bandcamp after a recent sale to music-licensing service Songtradr.

Martin Scorsese's highly-anticipated film about a series of murders in the Osage Nation during the 1920s has finally arrived in theatres. Author Angela Sterritt and culture critics Johnnie Jae and Jesse Wente join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to react to Killers of The Flower Moon and what it might suggest about who gets to tell Indigenous stories in 2023.

Britney Spears’ musical legacy in pop is so big that it’s hard to define — and yet, that legacy is often overshadowed by the way she was exploited in the press for years. Now, Spears is addressing it all in her new memoir, The Woman in Me. Writers Lisa Whittington-Hill and Alessa Dominguez join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss revelations from the book, and how her story has been framed by the men in her life.

It’s been almost three weeks of war in the Middle East — and three weeks of posts by celebrities letting us know where they stand on the issue. Today on Commotion, tech reporters Alyssa Bereznak and Mike Isaac, along with friend of the show Rad Simonpillai, join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss how celebrities influence our feelings about war, and why that matters.

Known around the world for his sardonic wit as Friends' Chandler Bing, the late Matthew Perry is also being remembered as an advocate for those dealing with substance abuse issues. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud sits down with writer and editor Kevin Fallon to commemorate the Canadian-American actor. Plus, Commotion’s resident horror expert Matt Hart explains how the creepy indie videogame Five Nights at Freddy's became a massively successful franchise.

According to an investigation by CBC's The Fifth Estate, musician and icon Buffy Sainte-Marie may not be who she claims to be. Anishinaabekwe musician ShoShona Kish and Cree writer Michelle Good join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their reactions and reflections following the latest reports about the trailblazer's ancestry.

On the eve of Snow’s Informer and Bran Van 3000’s Drinking In L.A. being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, music critics Dalton Higgins and Stuart Berman look back on the impact these two acts and their music had on pop culture then and now. Plus, author and publisher Michael Hingston chats with host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about the legendary cartoonist Bill Watterson’s mysterious reclusion, and what the Calvin and Hobbes creator's new picture book, The Mysteries, might say about his return.

Against all odds, today the world receives a new single from The Beatles. To celebrate, Commotion’s resident Fab Fourologists Paul Myers and Maura Johnston join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their reactions to the song, Now and Then, and unpack the fascinating, decades-long story behind its creation.

Introducing our new show: Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud! Every weekday, culture writer and professional fan Elamin will bring you thoughtful and vibrant discussions in just 30 minutes. With the help of superfans and experts alike, Elamin will cover the most urgent and joyful stories in arts, pop culture and entertainment. Welcome to the group chat!

How much does the truth really matter when it comes to comedy? Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to former The Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. and comedian Ali Hassan about Hasan Minhaj’s efforts to justify his approach to comedy following a profile in The New Yorker detailing instances where he stretched the truth in his stand-up routines.

Last week, HBO’s CEO apologized for creating fake social media accounts to clap back at TV critics who wrote negative reviews about the platform's shows. Vulture critic and friend of Commotion Kathryn VanArendonk talks about what it was like to see her tweets discussed by HBO bosses. Plus, radio host Nantali Indongo explains how Québec's Félix Awards are a testament to the strength of the province's music scene.

It can be easy to forget that Lauryn Hill only put out one solo album. And that's because of its unbelievable impact on hip-hop and people's lives. Today on the podcast, A. harmony helps break down what was going on behind the scenes of the album production and why it continues to be so relevant to this day. Plus, how one art historian is questioning, what is the story of art without men?

Former MuchMusic personality Craig F. Halket and journalists Liisa Ladouceur and Dalton Higgins join guest host Amil Niazi to share their takes on what Sean Menard’s documentary, 299 Queen Street West, gets right about the Nation’s Music Station — and what’s been left out of the narrative. Plus, culture writer Niko Stratis reacts to the news that Urban Outfitters will be selling refurbished and retrofitted iPods.

The Hollywood actors' union says their strike is over. Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk joins guest host Amil Niazi from L.A. to walk us through the drama that unfolded before the tentative agreement was reached. Plus, Sofia Coppola takes on Priscilla Presley’s story in her new film, shedding a different light on the Elvis fans knew as a beloved performer. Culture writers Alison Willmore and Jackson Weaver share their thoughts on the film's reception and how it fits into Coppola's cannon.

Culture critics A. Harmony, Ashley Ray and Eli Glasner join guest host Amil Niazi to react to The Marvels, the latest installment in the MCU, the second season of Issa Rae’s series Rap Sh!t, and why Missy Elliott becoming the first female rapper inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was a bittersweet moment for some hip-hop fans.

The “bimbo” archetype has been showing up a lot lately, whether it's on TikTok or in movies like Barbie and Mean Girls: The Musical — but for reasons you might not expect. Host Elamin Abdemahmoud chats with culture writers Rayne Fisher-Quann, Rebecca Jennings and Andrea Werhun about why people are self-identifying as bimbos, and whether you can really reclaim an identity intended to disempower you.

As part of our series celebrating hip-hop at 50, CBC broadcaster and emcee Nantali Indongo joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to explore hip-hop's musical history in La Belle Province, and the role language played in the rise of some of its most noteworthy rap acts.

A new term, "funflation," has been coined to describe how spending on entertainment is way up despite the fact that many people are struggling to make ends meet. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud makes sense of it with Mark Harrison, founder of the MH3 Collective and Black Talent Initiative who’s been crunching the numbers, and Amelia Eqbal, a self-proclaimed poster girl for funflation who’s seen 11 concerts in the past year.

A new HBO documentary, David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, explores the special bond between actor Daniel Radcliffe and his Harry Potter stunt double David Holmes, who was paralyzed in an on-set accident. Veteran stunt coordinator Kirk Caouette and actor/podcaster Carolina Bartczak share their thoughts on how the field of stunt work is changing for the better, and worse. Plus, journalist Josh O’Kane explains why one of Canada’s most respected arts organizations, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, is in turmoil.

For this week's wrap panel, culture writers Jackson Weaver, Chris Murphy and Anne T. Donahue join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to weigh in on how the new season of The Crown handles Princess Diana’s death, whether Nathan Fielder’s new series The Curse is the most uncomfortable television show of the year, and if the new animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off delivers for fans of the Toronto-based cult classic.

With news of musician Cassie’s launching a suit against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs that included allegations of rape, abuse and trafficking — and then privately settling a day later — Kathleen Newman-Bremang and David Dennis Jr. share their reaction and early analysis to the case. Plus, Wile E. Coyote voice actor Eric Bauza tells us about how social media outrage over Warner Brother’s decision to shelve the film Coyote vs. Acme just might help save it.

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, there has been an unmistakable upheaval in the art world. Writers Maris Kreizman, Josh Gondelman and Jen Sookfong Lee are grappling with the consequences of speaking up. They join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud and arts reporter Josh O’Kane to share their thoughts on the cancelled exhibits, protests, and the people who’ve lost jobs and opportunities for sharing their points of view — and what's at stake within our cultural institutions.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of OutKast's Grammy-winning album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, and the 25th anniversary of their acclaimed album Aquemini. Plus, member of the duo Andre 3000 just released his first solo album, New Blue Sun. With lots to celebrate, OutKast and Southern hip-hop academic Regina Bradley and veteran music journalist David Dennis Jr. join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their reactions to the old and new tunes.

Taylor Swift’s first Eras Tour show in Rio de Janeiro was met with an intense heat wave. A 23-year-old woman named Ana Clara Benevides Machado died during the show, and the tragedy has fans grappling with accountability. Culture journalists Nicole Froio and Niko Stratis unpack how fans are feeling about their safety at shows, and how unprepared we are to meet the far-reaching impacts of climate change. Plus, Crocs have been around for more than two decades, and they’re more popular than ever. Culture writer Scaachi Koul talks about why ugly fashion is having a moment.

Film critics Sarah-Tai Black, Rad Simonpillai and Hanna Flint join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to chat about how Hollywood is holding up post-strike, Ridley Scott’s unique press tour for his new film Napoleon, and what happened when TikTok’s favourite comedian Matt Rife put out a Netflix special.

A new documentary about Buffy Sainte-Marie’s life just won an International Emmy, after a CBC report raised questions about her Indigenous identity. Freelance journalist Michelle Cyca joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about what this win means, and how we move forward with Buffy's legacy as an artist. Plus, for our ongoing celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, Elamin sits down with veteran music journalist and filmmaker Nelson George to look back at the rise of the culture and hip-hop journalism.

Karl Tremblay was a national hero in Quebec, and the province is still mourning after the lead singer of Les Cowboys Fringants died earlier this month. Fan and culture journalist Dominic Tardiff helps us remember him. Plus, the new competition show Squid Game: The Challenge is getting a lot of heat for glossing over the anti-capitalist message of the original, dark drama it’s inspired from. But despite that, many critics say this adaptation is surprisingly compelling. Alison Herman and Nicholas Quah break down what makes this show a must-watch.

The latest Disney animated film, Wish, was supposed to be a holiday blockbuster, but a lukewarm opening weekend and harsh reviews suggest it won’t be the next Frozen-level phenomenon. This comes on the heels of other recent box-office disappointments like The Marvels and the latest Indiana Jones film, that have put a damper on the company as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. With Disney hosting its annual town hall meeting for investors this week, we speak to film critics Bilge Ebiri and Kristy Puchko about what’s gone wrong at the House of the Mouse, and how it can correct course.

‘Tis the season for Spotify Wrapped, when the music streaming service delivers a personalized and highly shareable breakdown of users' annual listening habits. Richie Assaly and Chris Murphy explain how Spotify Wrapped became a social media phenomenon, and how it helps generate a lot of goodwill for a company often seen as the Scrooge of the music industry. Plus, more than 50 artists have signed an open letter about how Canadian cultural institutions are failing to Indigenize and decolonize their ways of operating. Aylan Couchie tells Elamin why she organized the letter.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Niko Stratis, Rollie Pemberton and A. Harmony join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé and how much the famously private superstar pulls back the curtain on her record-breaking world tour, Dolly Parton’s debut rock album, and whether Noah Kahan is bringing back “stomp and holler” music.

Former April Wine singer Myles Goodwyn died this weekend at the age of 75. Craig Northey, one of the founding members of the band Odds, helps us remember Goodwyn's impact and how April Wine's music became an essential part of Canadiana. Elamin also remembers Toronto filmmaker Charles Officer, a giant in Canadian film and television who passed away this weekend after a long illness. Plus, writers Keith Phipps and Anne T. Donahue, as well as former Nicolas Cage stand-in Marco Kyris, stop by Commotion to look at Nicolas Cage's legacy in 2023 following the release of his latest film, Dream Scenario.

Hosted by Marc Fennell, Stuff the British Stole peels back the true histories behind objects acquired by the British Empire that sit in museums and galleries across the world, and meets the people that want them back! The first two seasons of the podcast are available now on CBC Listen. You can also stream the television series now on CBC Gem. Here, Fennell tells the true story of Matoaka - a young Powhatan girl who you probably know as Pocahontas. This is the mystery of a child, a hidden history and a stolen story.

More than 200 years after the Elgin — or Parthenon — marbles were torn from one of Greece's most sacred landmarks and shipped to the U.K., the Greek government continues to fight for their return. Now, the marbles are at the centre of a diplomatic row between the two countries. Elamin talks to Marc Fennell, the host of Stuff The British Stole, about the latest on this historic case study and the questions it raises about how museums are decolonizing — and what’s getting in the way.

If there is one show that could serve as a time capsule for the early aughts, it's The O.C. The series launched indie music careers, and turned comic book nerds into heartthrobs. 20 years after its premiere, creator Josh Schwartz and executive producer Stephanie Savage join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to reflect on the ups and downs of making the hit show.

Director Emerald Fennell’s latest film, Saltburn, is proving to be even more polarizing than her controversial 2020 debut, Promising Young Woman. Guardian film critic Adrian Horton explains why this tale of class mobility, queer lust and murder has divided audiences between those who think it’s a stylish, sexy, satiricial thriller, and those who think it’s just empty provocation with nothing interesting to say about privilege. Plus, Guy Fieri recently signed a 3-year deal with the Food Network worth $100 million USD, making him the highest paid celebrity TV chef. Culture critic Niko Stratis digs into what makes Guy Fieri worth so many dollars.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Rad Simonpillai, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Sarah-Tai Black join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to weigh in on Vulture’s controversial critique of Beyoncé, Time Magazine's Person of the Year cover story with Taylor Swift, and what the online reaction to them says about the state of celebrity criticism today. They also discuss Todd Haynes’ psychological dramedy May December, and Netflix’s dubious efforts at marketing it.

Love Actually has become a rom-com that fans watch over and over again, especially around the holidays. The film turns 20 this year — and so does Elf, the whimsical holiday comedy starring Will Ferrell. Film critics Hanna Flint and Rad Simonpillai dig into these beloved Christmas movies and how well they have or haven’t aged.

Why would any sports team pay $700 million for a single player? Well, when that athlete is Shohei Ohtani, it seems almost reasonable. It turns out the answer has a lot to do with who’s watching — and who’s paying to advertise. Sports writer Morgan Campbell gets into it. Plus, with the latest installment in the Godzilla franchise becoming the highest grossing Japanese film ever released in the U.S., Godzilla superfan and expert William Tsutsui and Asian culture critic Michelle Cho join Elamin to look at the long history of one of the most popular movie monsters of all time.

As part of Commotion’s year-in-review, Elamin sits down with rapper Rollie Pemberton (a.k.a. Cadence Weapon) and veteran indie rock musician/activist Damon Krukowski to talk about all the different ways that life for an independent musician became more difficult in 2023. Plus, CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver explains why The Boy and the Heron is shaping up to be the most successful North American release in Japanese animation icon Hayao Miyazaki's storied career, and where it fits into his oeuvre.

Danny Woodburn is an actor with dwarfism who has spent his long career fighting for roles that aren't stereotypes. While he’s seen progress, he’s frustrated that Hollywood still casts regular sized actors to play little people — like Hugh Grant playing an Oompa Loompa in the new movie, Wonka. He tells host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about Hollywood's complicated casting history.

For this Friday's wrap panel, Jael Richardson, Syrus Marcus Ware and Sarah-Tai Black join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the bizarre drama on book review platform Goodreads that led to a debut writer’s book deal getting cancelled, plus Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali’s poignant Netflix thriller Leave the World Behind.

Kanye West is gearing up to drop a new album, but his reputation has fallen dramatically in recent years as he’s embraced MAGA politics, conspiracy theories and anti-semitic rhetoric. Yet, he remains an object of fascination for the media. Music journalists Dalton Higgins and Leor Galil unpack the Kanye conundrum. Plus, The Gilded Age is a period drama set against a pivotal time in American History – where rapid economic growth was common but any display of new wealth was often shunned. As the second season comes to a close, we discuss why some viewers are divided by the show, and what it gets right – and wrong – about that time period.

From the runway to the retail rack, what can we learn about ourselves from what we wore this past year? Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud looks back at the good, the bad and the ugly of 2023's trends with fashion writers Gianluca Russo, Olivia Petter and Bee Quammie.

Earlier this month, we lost Canadian filmmaker, producer and writer Charles Officer, whose award-winning work spanned features, documentary and television. Filmmakers Amanda Parris, Wendy 'Motion' Brathwaite and Randall ‘R.T.’ Thorne join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to look back on his life and legacy of centering Black voices and characters.

Why does everything feel so….mid? Our pop culture, from the music we listen to, to what we watch or share online, has all become a bit bland. At a time when everyone is releasing their best-of-the-year lists, Elamin chats with culture critics Niko Stratis, Kyle Chayka and Bilge Ebiri about this “mid” feeling dogging pop culture — and why that might be exactly where industry execs want us.

For this edition of Commotion's Friday Group Chat, movie critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to look back at the year in film. The panelists share their favourites from the year, the biggest disappointments, the most underrated films and the most annoying trends.

Wicked, the lauded musical prequel to The Wizard of Oz, celebrated its 20th anniversary on Broadway this year. To commemorate the occasion, Wicked experts Stacy Wolf, Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about what makes this now-classic show so timeless, and how it changed the landscape of musical theatre for good.

Up next in Commotion's celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary is hip-hop’s growing influence in South Korea. Haekyung Um, a music professor at the University of Liverpool, takes us on a tour of rap history in the region with a special playlist featuring Suga, Yoon Mirae, Verbal Jint and more. Plus, journalist Deirdre Kelly talks about her book Fashioning The Beatles, and why The Fab Four’s sense of style was important to their success and influence as their music.

In the world of arts and pop culture, who are the winners and losers of 2023? Culture thinkers Niko Stratis, Amil Niazi and Matt Hart join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud for a special edition of Commotion, recorded in front of a live audience in Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio as part of the CBC's annual food drive, Sounds of the Season.

Today on Commotion, we pay tribute to some of the big musical icons we lost in 2023 — Gordon Lightfoot, Tina Turner, Sinéad O'Connor and Robbie Robertson — by revisiting the conversations we had this year with the people who knew them, and devout fans who had their lives changed by their music.

TV in 2023 had some clear highs, like The White Lotus and Succession, but the season took a turn when Hollywood's writers and actors went on strike. With the labour dispute now behind us, what does 2024 have in store for viewers? Culture critics Kathryn VanArendonk, Chris Murphy and Mel Woods join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to kick off the new year with a look at what's coming to the small screen.

Culture critics and friends of the show Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Sarah-Tai Black and Rad Simonpillai join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the biggest films that came out over the holidays, The Color Purple and Ferrari, and look ahead to the films they're excited to watch in 2024.

Kliph Nesteroff joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud for a chat about his new book, Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars. The Canadian comic and comedy historian shares what the past can tell us about current tensions around free speech and cancel culture.

With a new year comes new books! Writers Jen Sookfong Lee, Makda Mulatu and Tajja Isen join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the titles they're looking forward to reading this year. They also discuss the technologies and trends shaping what gets published, and why so many books never make it to the readers who might love them.

The Golden Globes are this Sunday, which means awards season is finally here! After a year of blockbuster films and Hollywood strikes, Elamin chats with comedians/podcasters Ashley Ray and Trevor Campbell, and film critic Kristy Puchko about who they think deserves a golden statue. Plus, the Friday Group Chat gives us their takes on Dan Levy’s directorial debut, Good Grief, following his mega-hit series Schitt’s Creek.

Entertainment reporter Teri Hart checks in with a morning-after recap of the highlights and surprises from the 81st Golden Globe Awards, the first to be held since the dissolution of its scandal-plagued organizing body the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Plus, music journalist Maura Johnston and Vulture’s Switched On Pop podcast producer Reanna Cruz tell us about the big albums and dominant trends we can expect from the world of pop music in 2024.

Did Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer steal jokes? Katt Williams seems to think so. Comedian and podcast host Ashley Ray joins Elamin for a special episode of Commotion, where the pair dive into the explosive comments Williams made during a recent interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast.

Argylle, a highly-anticipated spy thriller novel by debut author Elly Conway, is out today — and fans speculate that Taylor Swift might actually be behind it. Elamin chats with author Heather Marshall and professor Elly McCausland about the role fandoms play in publicity. Plus, theatre critic Aisling Murphy explains the controversy surrounding a cancelled staging of the award-winning play The Runner, about violence in the middle east, in B.C.

Commotion is proud to announce the most highly anticipated reading list of the year. Elamin will reveal the five Canadian celebrities and the five books they'll be championing, and give each panelist a thirty second preview of what's to come.

Almost a decade after his presidency, Barack Obama is still a cultural force. Jennifer Zhan and Eric Deggans get into Obama’s lasting cultural relevance — and why artists may not want to be on his year-end lists. Plus, are Canadians being left off of best-of lists? Music journalist and author Michael Barclay offers some theories as to why Canadian music may have fallen off on the international stage.

The new Mean Girls movie musical comes out today. Culture critics Sarah-Tai Black, Niko Stratis & Cassie Cao join Elamin to review the latest adaptation of the classic teen movie. Plus, they unpack the backlash to the controversial New York Times op-ed that speculates on Taylor Swift’s sexuality.

The Paramount+ series The Curse turns a funhouse mirror on white liberal guilt, gentrification, the art world, reality television and other aspects of modern life. Culture critics Falen Johnson and Amil Niazi weigh in on The Curse’s absurd finale. Plus, Jeopardy contestants were recently stumped by a pop culture clue, even when shown a photo of the person they had to guess, which was the late rapper Mac Miller. Elamin chats with 23-time Jeopardy champion Mattea Roach about how hard it is to keep up with pop culture these days!

Jonathan Glazer’s new film The Zone of Interest has received rave reviews and awards-season attention for its unconventional approach to retelling the Holocaust from the perspective of a rich Nazi family that lives next to Auschwitz. Rad Simonpillai will explain what makes The Zone of Interest so compelling, while fellow critic Katarina Docalovich will explain why she was put off by the film. Plus, Former Montreal Canadiens player Terry Ryan never stopped playing hockey – even AFTER he started acting in the hit comedy Shoresy. But he never expected to be called up to a pro game in a sold-out arena in his hometown of St John’s — on his 47th birthday.

The fourth season of True Detective premiered on Sunday, and critics are raving about it. TV critics Kathryn VanArendonk and Jackson Weaver talk about leading performances by Jodie Foster and newcomer Kali Reis and the storytelling prowess of showrunner Issa Lopez. Plus, South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun died by apparent suicide late last year, following a highly publicized investigation into alleged drug use. Korean pop culture expert Michelle Cho explains why South Korea’s top artists are calling for an examination of the police and the media’s treatment of his case.

Comedian Marlon Palmer and culture critics A. Harmony and David Dennis Jr. join Elamin to dig into the week’s big stories: the ‘Drake hip-hop’ debate, Ava DuVernay’s latest film Origin and the trailer for the new J-Lo movie that's gotten everyone confused.

CruiseTok — the daily stream of TikTok videos made by passengers on Royal Caribbean’s unprecedented nine-month cruise around the world — is the current hottest reality TV show. Culture writers Becky Hughes and Anne T. Donahue explain why you just can’t swipe away. Plus, You might know the actor Sophie Nélisse for playing the young Shauna in Yellowjackets. Now she’s the voice of another harrowing story: a podcast about the Ashley Madison hack. Where people who used the site to cheat on their partners were exposed — with devastating results. Elamin sits down with her to talk about her new project.

Commotion remembers the great Canadian filmmaker Norman Jewison — who passed away on Saturday at age 97 — with a group chat featuring his friend and colleague Rick Mercer, filmmaker Clement Virgo and Globe and Mail film critic Barry Hertz

With the finale of Reacher Season 2, the arrival of Masters of the Air, and the return of The Terminal List, it seems like Dad TV is more popular than ever. TV critic Eric Deggans and culture commentator Matt Hart get into what defines the comfort genre, who exactly is watching, and why Dad TV seems to be hitting its peak now. Plus, after nearly two decades, rock band Tokyo Police Club is calling it a day.

January 22nd marks the 40th anniversary of Apple’s famous 1984 themed — a nod to George Orwells famed dystopian novel — Macintosh ad, which aired during the Super Bowl. The event officially kicked off the home-computing craze in North America. But that was just one breakthrough moment in a year that's become one of the most pivotal in modern history. Music journalist Michaelangelo Matos and media studies professor Siva Vaidhyanathan explain how the major evolutions in technology, pop culture and politics we saw in 1984 created the world we live in today.

Elamin sits down with former Pitchfork editor Jillian Mapes, music critic Niko Stratis and musician — and former Pitchfork writer — Cadence Weapon to react to the recent Pitchfork layoffs and announced merging with GQ. We'll also look back on the publication's rise and legacy up to this moment.

Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Rad Simonpillai and Rachel Ho talk to Elamin about the Oscar nominations and who got snubbed. Plus, the group chat reviews Lulu Wang and Nicole Kidman’s ambitious new Amazon Prime series Expats.

The new Netflix documentary ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ takes us behind the scenes of the making of “We Are the World,” the 1985 benefit single that brought pop legends together to raise money for famine relief in Africa. Music journalist Maura Johnston and arts writer/broadcaster Garvia Bailey share their thoughts on the film, and the complicated relationship between celebrity and charity. Plus, Jacqueline Novak’s new Netflix special, ‘Get On Your Knees,’ is a 90-minute monologue focused entirely on one subject: oral sex. The New Yorker’s Carrie Battan explains how Novak became the talk of the comedy world, and why her seemingly risqué show is actually quite profound.

Elamin is joined by Comedian Marlon Palmer and culture critics Jackson Weaver and Stacy Lee Kong to discuss the latest moves from Netflix, the new dramedy Late Bloomer starring former YouTuber Jus Reign, and why online creators making the jump to traditional TV is more complicated than we think.

Last week, AI-generated explicit images of Taylor Swift’s likeness were shared on X, previously known as Twitter, without her consent. These photos racked up millions of views before being taken down. Reporters Sam Cole and Melissa Heikkilä — who have been tracking the rise of deepfakes for years — talk about why this story has hit a nerve with Hollywood and Washington. Plus, Writer, host and executive producer Amanda Parris joins Elamin to talk about her new CBC series For The Culture and what she learned in her deep dive into the topics and tensions Black people across the diaspora are talking about.

1980s rock band The Smiths used to represent a generation of misunderstood and anguished liberal teens. But ever since lead singer Morrissey has become an icon for the far-right, now they’re on Donald Trump’s rally playlist. Journalist and Smiths’ fan Luke O’Neil breaks down the conservative embrace of the band. Plus, Sofia Vergara plays real life Colombian cartel boss Griselda Blanco in a new Narcos spin-off. We’ll check in with Colombian pop culture writer Manuel Bettancourt about Griselda and the stereotype of a Colombian woman.

For this week’s Friday Wrap, culture writers Sarah-Tai Black, Niko Stratis and Justin Curto join host Elamin to discuss Universal Music Group’s decision to pull their music from TikTok, the diss track drops between Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj and how Elmo became Twitter’s main character this week.