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Artwork for Commotion

Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

CBC
Toronto International Film Festival
Canada
Mariah Carey
Social Media
Bad Bunny
Heated Rivalry
Toronto Blue Jays
Geese
John Candy
Drake
The Pitt
Slave Play
Hamnet
Feminism
Kent Monkman
The Emancipation Of Mimi
Race
Slavery
Racial Trauma
Norval Morrisseau

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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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Commotion

Latest Episodes

Film critics Corey Atad, Kaiya Shunyata, and Hanna Flint join the Group Chat to talk about the remarkable success of the low-budget horror movie ‘Obsession’ (which recently became the first film since E.T. to see its box office numbers rise week-over... more

With Jay-Z making his return to the concert stage at this year’s Roots Picnic and Serena Williams also announcing her return to the tennis court, Elamin is joined by culture critics Jay Smooth, Taryn Finley and Ian Kamau to react to these moments and... more

Recruitment in the Canadian Armed Forces is seeing a bit of a boom right now. It’s at a 30-year high. That could be because of a new sense of nationalism or the economy. But another part of this equation could be the Forces’ new recruitment videos. F... more

The literary world is in an uproar after a prize-winning short story was accused of being AI-generated. But was it? How easy is it really to tell if a piece of creative writing is AI? Writers Innocent Chizaram Ilo and Jen Sookfong Lee join host Elami... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Judith Ellen Brunton
Religious studies scholar, professor
Rice University
Episode: A bad week for AI
Kevin Fallon
Pop culture writer and editor-in-chief at The Daily Beast; host of Obsessed
The Daily Beast
Episode: Why hockey romances are taking over television, and Hacks ends
Brittany Spanos
freelance music journalist
The Cut
Episode: Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, and why Olivia Rodrigo's babydoll dress makes people feel uneasy
Paul Vermeersch
Poet and professor of creative writing
Sheridan College
Episode: Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Ian Williams
Poet; Griffin Trust trustee
Griffin Prize
Episode: Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Clare Press
Sustainable fashion expert and host of Wardrobe Crisis
Wardrobe Crisis podcast
Episode: Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Michael Praisman
Founder of Everlane
Everlane
Episode: Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Scott Griffin
Founder of the Griffin Poetry Prize
Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry
Episode: Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Jeremy Dutcher
Musician, activist, involved in Cris Derksen tributes
Independent artist ( Canadian)
Episode: The Enhanced Games is a 'love child of the manosphere,' and remembering cellist Cris Derksen

Host

Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Host of Commotion; CBC/Commotion

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Lindy episode ignores …

    It’s not the limits of feminist lit: this pattern of memoir promising conclusion and tidiness is the problem of CONFESSIONAL lit in general. It’s happened since DeQuincey 200 years ago. The writer promises articulate perfection, is put on a pedestal and falls off, a pattern as inevitable as the tides. Your discussion was a bit too narrow.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Analyticeye
    Canada2 months ago
  • My favourite podcast

    The conversations are thoughtful and challenges me to check out works of art that I wouldn’t have been aware of. Also, there are moments of pure joy in the episodes (eg I kept on listening to the interview between Elamin and Samantha Irby)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Christine Sonja
    Canada5 months ago
  • A must listen!

    This is my go-to pop culture podcast and I never miss an episode. It's wide-ranging, thoughtful, thought provoking, smart, fun and often laugh out loud funny, deeply insightful... I could go on and on. This show has the best topics and often introduces listeners to interesting people and art that don't get attention elsewhere. It has a fantastic rotation of guest panelists who provide excellent commentary and debate (one of my favourites is Teri Hart, a deeply insightful film critic.) Elamin def... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Binaaaaaaaah
    Canada6 months ago
  • give us an hour!

    I love Elamin and the ways he facilitates smart and thoughtful conversations on pop culture. Please CBC, give Elamin and friends a full hour!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    smalltinytiny
    Canada6 months ago
  • Excellent show!

    The show is the best! Thoughtful, interesting, helps makes sense of our cultural moment. And Elamin is such a gifted host! Highly recommend!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WilliamFrancis
    Canada6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise thoughtful, witty conversations and strong guest lineups.
Some critique requests for broader international topics or tighter advertising disclosures.
Many note the Canadian perspective as a valuable angle in pop culture discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A bad week for AI
Q: Why does the encyclical feel emotionally resonant in this tech moment?
Amil argues that the encyclical appeals to the human soul and communal ethics, offering a counter-narrative to a tech-dominated landscape by emphasizing care, attention, and the dignity of work and creativity.
A bad week for AI
Q: What are you seeing with your students at Rice in relation to AI and their sense of humanity?
Judith Brunton discusses two trends: students frustrated by changing expectations and a shift in what is considered valuable work, plus AI shaping how students engage with their own thinking and voices, impacting thought processes and uncertainty.
Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Q: Do we know why Everlane faced financial difficulties and what that says about sustainability-focused brands?
The guests suggested that sustainable fashion struggled during economic downturns and that consumer willingness to pay premium declined; there's concern that the market for transparent, ethics-driven brands may have ebbed and flowed with broader economic conditions.
Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Q: What sets Shein apart from other fast fashion brands, and how does that relate to Everlane's radical transparency?
Shein operates on ultra-fast fashion by rapidly reproducing thousands of styles daily with minimal transparency, while Everlane built trust through radical transparency by openly sharing costs and production details; the discussion centers on reconciling these diametrically different models in a consumer landscape.
Shein buys sustainable fashion brand Everlane, and the Griffin Poetry Prize town hall
Q: What was the point of making these changes in the Griffin Prize in the first place?
Scott Griffin and Ian Williams explained that the prize aimed to elevate poetry globally, but critics argue the changes risked diminishing Canadian poetry's visibility and financial stability; the town hall sought to gather feedback with an eye toward restoring or reimagining Canadian-focused recognition.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Commotion

What is Commotion about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, culture-forward discussion show featuring a rotating panel of critics, journalists, and creators who untangle the day's biggest arts and entertainment stories. Episodes frequently cover film festivals, TV prestige vs. romance, the business side of media, and pop culture moments, all from a distinctly Canadian perspective. Guests span film critics, writers, theatre and sports commentators, and industry insiders, offering a mix of insider anecdotes, cultural critique, and thoughtful analysis. The format is fast-paced, accessible, and newsy, often layering personal storytelling with broader industry context. A standout is how conversations weave together politics, representation, and audience behavior across cinema, television, gaming... more

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How many listeners does Commotion get?

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What are the audience demographics for Commotion?

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How many subscribers and views does Commotion have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Commotion has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Commotion?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Commotion:

1. Q with Tom Power
2. Front Burner
3. The Current
4. Ideas
5. Bookends with Mattea Roach

How many episodes of Commotion are there?

Commotion launched 6 years ago and published 596 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Commotion?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Commotion?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Commotion from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Commotion?

Recent guests on Commotion include:

1. Judith Ellen Brunton
2. Kevin Fallon
3. Brittany Spanos
4. Paul Vermeersch
5. Ian Williams
6. Clare Press
7. Michael Praisman
8. Scott Griffin

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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