Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Oprah Winfrey is back and she wants to talk about losing weight. Again. She’s hosted a series of specials on the topic, stepping up to acknowledge the role she's played in creating a toxic diet culture. But she's also thinner, thanks to weight loss drugs she admits to taking. Elamin is joined by writers Scaachi Koul and Gianluca Russo to talk about this massive rebrand for the weight-loss industry. Plus, comic book superfan Frankey Smith will be on Commotion to talk about X-Men ‘97 and why this revival of the beloved 90s cartoon is being called the best X-Men adaptation to date.

Alice Munro, Canadian master of the short story and Nobel winner, has died at 92 years of age. Her longtime publisher Douglas Gibson, and writers Heather O’Neill and Madeleine Thien join Elamin to talk about her life and legacy.

With the news that Canada has won the bid to have its first WNBA team, Elamin is joined by sports journalist Shireen Ahmed (who broke the story) and sports fan and culture critic Andrea Williams to react to the news and the moment the WNBA has been having this year. Plus, Elamin is joined by Rolling Stone journalist EJ Dickson to talk about vertical-video apps, which are attracting millions of viewers with their schlocky soap-era-style shows delivered in short 90-second episodes. However, the medium’s rising popularity has also brought greater scrutiny to its non-unionized work practices, its algorithm-driven content generation, and non-diverse casting.

Eurovision was the most political it’s ever been this year because of the war between Israel and Hamas. Elamin speaks with Commotion Eurovision correspondent Karen Fricker about what happened. Then, it was a devastating blow to country music when legendary singer Randy Travis lost his voice to a stroke in 2013. With the assistance of artificial intelligence, he’s released his first new song in more than a decade called Where That Came From. Elamin speaks with music writer Steacy Easton about the new song, and how it's being received.

The Commotion Friday Group chat convenes to talk about this week’s top stories in the world of arts and entertainment. This week, Elamin is joined by pop culture experts Leila Latif, Vikram Murthi, and Paul Myers to talk about the latest twist in the ‘Baby Reindeer’ saga; the new high-energy reboot of Doctor Who starring Ncuti Gatwa, and the angry reaction to Apple’s latest iPad ad.

Rap critics Clarkisha Kent and Charles Holmes dissect the Kendrick versus Drake feud, highlighting the involvement of misogyny in rap beefs. They also dive into John Mulaney's Netflix show and its unique live event format, discussing the future of streaming entertainment.

When Lily Allen opened up about being a mom recently, her comments went viral. She said that in terms of pop stardom, having kids ruined her career. Guest host Amil Niazi is joined by musician Amy Millan and psychotherapist Tamsin Embleton to talk about the realities of juggling a career as an artist and being a mom.

The annual Met Gala isn’t just about who’s wearing what, it’s when fashion truly becomes art. This year’s theme is “the garden of time.” The morning after, Elamin talks with Danya Issawi and Gianlucca Russo about who won the red carpet. Plus, reality shows about luxury real estate have been streaming powerhouses for years, and Toronto’s finally entering the conversation with Luxe Listings Toronto. The CBC’s Jackson Weaver talks about the version of Toronto the show is selling, the cast of realtors, and what it’s like to watch this show during a housing crisis.

Elamin is joined by film critics Barry Hertz and Teri Hart to talk about the new Ryan Gosling/Emily Blunt film ‘The Fall Guy.’ Plus, artist and poet Ian Kamau discusses the legacy of his late father Roger McTair, one of Canada’s first Black filmmakers.

This week on the group chat, how much does Dua Lipa reveal about herself on her new album, Radical Optimism? And in the movie The Idea of You, one of the characters is rumoured to be based on Harry Styles. But will this film satisfy audiences hungry for romance? Elamin Abdelmahmoud sits down with Suzy Exposito, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Jennifer Wilson.