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Artwork for Commotion

Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

CBC
Heated Rivalry
Canada
Artificial Intelligence
Social Media
Geese
Drake
Feminism
Thomas King
Golden Globes
Margaret Atwood
Mariah Carey
The Pitt
2016
Music
Juno Awards
Toronto
Hollywood
Pluribus
Memoir
Canadian Culture

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

Commotion guest host Amil Niazi is joined by culture critics Pablo The Don, Reanna Cruz and Jay Smooth to discuss Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's return to the U.K., what the new blockbuster ‘End Of Oak Street’ brings to the dinosaur movie sub-genre, ... more

Today marks ten years since The Tragically Hip bid farewell after their final concert in Kingston, Ontario. Music journalist Vish Khanna and music critic Niko Stratis join guest host Amil Niazi to reflect on the Hip’s final performance, and their leg... more

If you’ve noticed more celebrities wearing those AI glasses or wondered why Palantir – the software company ICE uses to help identify people for deportation – is dropping exclusive fashion items, there’s a new name for that: ‘surveillance chic’. Cult... more

With Sade being inducted into this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Elamin is joined by Professor Mark Anthony Neal, DJ Lynnée Denise & Sade superfan Tola Ositelu to discuss the pop legacy of the band’s lead singer and why her music continues to reso... more

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Recent Guests

Cat Zhang
Culture critic at The Cut
The Cut
Episode: The rise of surveillance chic, and Caitlin Clark's 1st Canadian WNBA game
Michelle Jobin
Television host, producer and writer
Television/Media
Episode: The Bourdain biopic 'Tony' is a satisfying 'one perfect summer' movie
Ivy Knight
Journalist and former line cook
New York Times / New Yorker / Food & Wine
Episode: The Bourdain biopic 'Tony' is a satisfying 'one perfect summer' movie
Megan Wallace
Sex journalist; discusses film portrayals of Gen Z sex life
British Vogue, The Guardian, Elle
Episode: Why are older filmmakers obsessed with Gen Z's sex lives? And, Zuckerberg's AI manifesto
Vass Bednar
Managing Director, Canadian Shield Institute; co-author
Canadian Shield Institute
Episode: Why are older filmmakers obsessed with Gen Z's sex lives? And, Zuckerberg's AI manifesto
Jenny Ellison
Museum's Manager of Digital Engagement Strategy and Publications
Canadian Museum of History
Episode: Sterling Point, and the Canadian Museum of History's controversial new guide: an AI chatbot
Michael McBean
Journalist who checked Museo at the Canadian Museum of History
Ottawa Citizen
Episode: Sterling Point, and the Canadian Museum of History's controversial new guide: an AI chatbot
Madison Malone Kircher
Internet culture reporter for the New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: Is the age of influencers over? And, the worst concert trend ever
Megan LaPierre
Music journalist and associate online editor
Exclaim! Magazine
Episode: Is the age of influencers over? And, the worst concert trend ever

Hosts

Amil Niazi
Host of Commotion, CBC Podcasts
Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Host of Commotion, CBC Podcasts

Reviews

4.6 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
    Canada5 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
    Canada8 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
    Canada9 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
    Canada9 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
    Canada9 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the host's facilitation and deep-dive depth across topics.
Hosts are consistently insightful and bring diverse viewpoints.
Guests bring breadth from journalism, criticism, and the arts.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#60
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#248
Colombia/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Sterling Point, and the Canadian Museum of History's controversial new guide: an AI chatbot
Q: What makes Sterling Point connect with both critics and audiences so quickly?
Its honest portrayal of teenage voice, emotional honesty, and the difficulty of growing up, combined with thoughtful treatment of grief and class without over-sanitizing reality.
What happens if people stop reading, and the video game Big Walk
Q: So what does that mean? What are you saying with that phrase post-literacy?
Horowitch describes post-literacy as a shift away from reading as the primary means of acquiring knowledge, with people still reading in many formats but often favoring shorter, less sustained texts and seeking information through alternative media like video and social platforms.
What happens if people stop reading, and the video game Big Walk
Q: Okay, so it's a provocative question, but talk to me about, you know, how big of a decline you've really seen in reading, how widespread is it?
Rose Horowitch explains the decline is broad and persistent, citing data that show a significant drop in the share of Americans who read daily and in the variety of longer, more complex texts that people engage with, while noting regional differences and shifts across demographics.
Is Christopher Nolan's screenwriting 'abysmal'? + Fantasia Film Festival
Q: Is it fair to expect a Hollywood blockbuster to have the same emotional depth as a poem from Homer?
The panelists acknowledge the difference in form, arguing that film and epic poetry operate with different strengths, but still debate whether Nolan's dialogue and character depth meet expectation for emotional resonance.
The Polygamist is sparking conversations, and Mary Beth Barone's comedy special
Q: What is the appeal of Mary Beth Barone as a comedian and what makes Galaxy Brain stand out?
Her willingness to be vulnerable and to push boundaries, combined with a distinctive vocal fry and fashion-forward presentation, makes her stand out. Galaxy Brain is seen as a bold, unapologetic introduction to her voice, especially on Netflix where she challenges expectations about how female comedians should perform.

Audience Metrics

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

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Gender Skew
Location
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Professions
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Frequently Asked Questions About Commotion

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

Thoughtful, fast-paced pop culture discussions featuring a rotating slate of journalists, critics, artists, and scholars. Episodes center on current arts and entertainment stories—from influencer culture and music trends to film, TV, and museum tech—often layering cultural analysis with sharp questions about ethics, representation, and industry dynamics. A notable strength is the diverse, well-connected guest slate and a host who guides conversations with curiosity and wit, making complex cultural conversations accessible in about 30 minutes. The show frequently weaves Canadian perspectives into global culture moments, offering unique angles on familiar topics and timely debates about technology, media, and identity.

Where can I find podcast stats for Commotion?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Commotion. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Commotion and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Commotion get?

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What are the audience demographics for Commotion?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Commotion, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

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. The Sunday Magazine

How many episodes of Commotion are there?

Commotion launched 6 years ago and published 651 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.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Commotion?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Commotion. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Commotion?

Recent guests on Commotion include:

1. Cat Zhang
2. Michelle Jobin
3. Ivy Knight
4. Megan Wallace
5. Vass Bednar
6. Jenny Ellison
7. Michael McBean
8. Madison Malone Kircher

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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