Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

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, the new album from producer Benny Blanco and the controversy surrounding it - plus the Neutrogena consumer backlash in the wake of the death of actor Hayden Panettiere.

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 legacy as one of the most prolific bands in Canadian history.

Also, writer-director Jane Schoenbrun’s latest film is – Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The film is about an independent film director who is rebooting a slasher franchise, and becomes obsessed with casting the original film’s ‘final girl.’ The film is provocative and fantastical, and film critic Kaiya Shunyata joins guest host Amil Niazi to talk about how the film brings a new twist to the slasher genre and whether it lands.

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’. Culture critics Cat Zhang and Kate Lindsay join guest host Amil Niazi to discuss why Big Tech has gone high fashion.

Plus, Caitlin Clark is the most famous women’s basketball player in the world, and Tuesday night she made her Canadian debut against the Toronto Tempo at a sold out arena. Culture critic and professor El Jones talks about why Caitlin Clark is such an exciting player to watch and the growth of women's sports in North America.

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 resonate with so many fans to this day.

The group chat dives into Emily McBride's debut novel Queen Mab, a story about a new mom who becomes convinced her baby has been replaced by a changeling. Culture critics Sarah Wheeler (The Cut) and Martha Schabas (Globe and Mail) talk to guest host Amil Niazi about why the book feels so timely, especially as Lindsay Clancy's trial puts postpartum psychosis at the centre of a tough public conversation.

Plus, Vogue revealed the cover for its highly-anticipated September 2026 issue featuring Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere. It's the first September issue without Anna Wintour at the helm, and critics are likening it to a "back-to-school" catalogue. Culture critic Joan Summers talks about backlash and what it says about the current state of fashion.