Big laughs. Smart takes. Every day. Commotion is where you go for thoughtful and vibrant conversations about all things pop culture. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud ca...
Trump's Kennedy Center takeover, and why some are paying $1000 to see Denzel Washington in Othello
Elamin is joined by New York Times theatre critic Michael Paulson, longtime theatre critic Glenn Sumi, and CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver to discuss U.S. President Trump’s takeover of The Kennedy Center and what it could signal for the culture of theatre in that country, and Denzel Washington in ‘Othello’ becoming the highest grossing non-musical Broadway show ever and what its high ticket prices says about the future of accessible productions in that world.
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25:52
Sum41, Anne Murray, Nemahsis, and Canadian pride at the 2025 Junos
The Juno Awards were held in Vancouver last night at a time when national pride is surging. So did last night’s show make us proud to be Canadian? Elamin is joined by music journalist Lisa Christiansen.
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24:22
Should Canadian musicians tour in the U.S.?
On the eve of a U.S. tour, Tamara Lindeman – a.k.a. indie-folk artist The Weather Station – talks about traveling to the States in this tense political moment, and why Canadian musicians can’t so easily participate in cultural boycotts when so much of their livelihood is dependent on U.S. touring. Then, musician and author Dave Bidini talks about how Canadian musicians can navigate these turbulent times by refocusing their efforts back home.
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25:13
How the trade war could affect Canada's book industry, and Family Guy is a gateway to Anne Murray
With the Canadian government proposing additional counter-tariffs on U.S. goods that could potentially include U.S. books coming into Canada, Elamin is joined by reporter Josh O’Kane to explain why this has Canadian book stakeholders concerned. Plus, Anne Murray gets a Juno for Lifetime Achievement on Sunday. More than a decade ago, Family Guy aired an episode where baby Stewie becomes obsessed with Anne Murray, and it introduced a new generation of fans to her music. Elamin speaks with one of them – the music journalist Tony Le Calvez.
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23:26
A new Hunger Games novel, and an update on No Other Land
Book lovers Arizona O’Neill and Lu Aburawi talk about the new Hunger Games prequel, 'Sunrise on the Reaping,' and the cultural impact of Suzanne Collins’ popular series. Plus, Elamin talks to Matt Carey, documentary editor at Deadline.com, about the latest headlines involving this year’s Oscar winner for best documentary feature ‘No Other Land’ - including the recent detainment and release of co-director Hamdan Ballal by the Israeli military.
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.Subscribe to Sounds Good: CBC's Podcasts newsletter for the finest podcast recommendations and behind-the-scenes exclusives.
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