After 3 seasons, the Sex and the City revival series And Just Like That has come to an end. Are we ready to say goodbye to the inimitable Carrie Bradshaw and her adventures in New York City? Today on Commotion, culture writers Amil Niazi, Anne T. Donahue and Chris Murphy join guest host Ali Hassan to unpack the end of the iconic franchise, and to talk about Taylor Swift’s newly-announced album, The Life of a Showgirl.

Commotion guest host Ali Hassan is joined by panelists Kathryn VanArendonk and Ashley Ray to discuss the new season of South Park and comedian/podcaster Marc Maron in the era of Trump and polarizing politics. Plus, Carole V. Bell talks about Canadian Maria Reva’s debut novel Endling, which is on the Booker Prize 2025 longlist.

Days after she turned 18, Canadian-American former child star and influencer Lil Tay said she's launched an OnlyFans account. Internet culture reporter Kat Tenbarge talks with guest host Ali Hassan about the reaction online, and how Lil Tay seems to have built her career on viral stunts. Plus, Ojibway playwright Drew Hayden Taylor discusses an increasingly common conundrum in the world of Indigenous theatre: when a production of an Indigenous story is cancelled because there are no older Indigenous actors available to play the roles.

Commotion guest host Ali Hassan is joined by film/tv critics Rad Simonpillai and Alison Herman to discuss the new tv show 'Alien: Earth' and what the series might add to the iconic sci-fi horror franchise. Journalist Max Read discusses the sudden resurgence of interest in Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros’ 2009 folk-pop hit “Home,” which was recently named The Worst Song Ever in a viral social-media thread, and which serves as a barometer of how what once seemed quaint in the Obama era now feels cringe in the current moment. 

Beauty influencers are now incorporating true crime into their makeup routines. Social media influencers like Bailey Sarian post weekly videos of themselves sharing details of a famous crime case while applying a full face. Amil Niazi and Riley Yesno discuss the trend and what it says about the way people consume true crime. Plus, with the release of the animated series ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ on Disney Plus - Commotion guest host Ali Hassan is joined by culture critic El Jones to discuss this latest installment in the Black Panther superhero franchise, and how it tackles geo-political themes like artifact theft and reclamation.  

Every music critic seems to agree: 2025 has no true song of summer. Last August, Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” dominated the charts. This year…Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” dominates the charts. What’s going on? Why is there no new summer song to unite us in collective listening, and will there ever be again?

Elamin recently joined Switched on Pop’s Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding to discuss the dearth of seasonal bops, and suggest some possible contenders for sleeper summer hits, from the soundtrack of the anime film KPop Demon Hunters to the latest from the Haim sisters. Despite the moribund status of the Hot 100, there is no shortage of great music to be found in the dog days of summer if you’re willing to listen closely.

Switched on Pop is a podcast from Vulture all about the making and meaning of popular music. Musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding pull back the curtain on how pop hits work magic on our ears and our culture. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

And for more, check out Commotion’s recent deep dive episode on Justin Bieber’s new album featuring Switched On Pop producer – and frequent Commotion panelist – Reanna Cruz.

Commotion guest host Rad Simonpillai is joined by film and culture critics Jackson Weaver, Rachel Ho and Joyita Sengupta to discuss the horror films ‘Weapons’ and ‘Together’ along with buzzing homegrown movie,‘Shook.’

Recently, the Nelk Boys, a Canadian YouTube duo known for their prank videos, released an interview with Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Hasan PIker, Justin Ling and Alyssa Mercante react to the interview and what it reveals about the current media landscape. 

Theatre critics Glenn Sumi and Joshua Chong talk about the story lighting up Broadway this week -- the casting of Andrew Barth Feldman, a white actor, in the musical Maybe Happy Ending, a Seoul-set comedy about robots finding love at the end of their batteries. Plus, Reanna Cruz talks about Chappell Roan's new single, and about her commitment to speaking out - from everything to the ills of social media to supporting other artists

The Naked Gun is back! Liam Neeson reprises Leslie Neilson’s role in the classic spoof movie and Adam Sandler is back with another Happy Gilmore. Alison Willmore and Adam Nayman join guest host Rad Simonpillai to talk about the summer of the comedy reboot.

Palestinian-Canadian musician John Kameel Farah, Israeli-American culture writer Lux Alptraum, and Vassar College music professor Justin Patch discuss the recent surge of musicians speaking up about the hunger crisis in Gaza, from major pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish to rap acts like Bob Vylan and Kneecap, and how the repercussions for speaking out have changed since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.

If you’re making a good road trip playlist, you’re thinking about the people in the car, the mood you want to create, the places you’re driving through, and so much more. Niko Stratis and Emilie Hanskamp have logged many long hours on the road – and many more obsessing over the perfect music to drive to. They join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share what it is that makes the road trip soundtrack something sacred. 

Elamin is joined by culture critics Pablo The Don, Bee Quammie and senior CBC Entertainment writer Jackson Weaver to discuss the Sydney Sweeney/American Eagle ad backlash, recent think pieces about celebrity transparency around the cosmetic work they do to their bodies, and the latest album from Tyler The Creator.

Hannah Sung and Samantha Lui review the new documentary BTS Army: Forever We Are Young, which chronicles the rise of the 7-member K-pop band as powered by its loyal global fan base. Plus, Sean Feucht is an American Christian-rock performer whose current Canadian tour has been subject to protests and revoked event permits to his MAGA affiliations and far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ views. But music journalist Carl Wilson explains why even those who find Feucht objectionable shouldn’t be celebrating the cancellation of his shows. 

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Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau had dinner in Montreal this week … and it looked a lot like a date. Of course the footage goes viral, and people can’t stop talking about it. Lainey Lui and Justin Ling join Elamin to talk about why these two love the limelight, and what our reaction reveals about the moment we’re living in. Plus, Aisling Murphy, theatre reporter for the Globe and Mail, joins Elamin to talk about the new Canadian fringe plays that she thinks could be making their way to bigger stages in the near future. 

Culture critic El Jones and film and TV producer Floyd Kane join Elamin to talk about the new series Washington Black. Also, with the recent cancellation of ‘The Masterplan Show: Generation Next’ - Canada’s longest running hip-hop slot on community radio - Elamin is also joined by veteran culture critic Dalton Higgins to discuss the importance of the program's 30+ year legacy, and what the cancellation could signal about the future of hip-hop on Canada’s community radio airwaves.

Hulk Hogan, one of the most famous American professional wrestlers and a cultural icon of the ‘80s, has died at the age of 71. He is being remembered for the way he raised the profile of the sport and his unforgettable crossover into mainstream culture at large, but also for his history of hateful behaviour. Today on Commotion, wrestling fans Pablo the Don and Damian Abraham join Elamin to unpack Hulk Hogan’s complicated legacy.

NPR writer Eric Deggans, entertainment reporter Teri Hart, and Mashable film editor Kristy Puchko join the Group Chat to talk about whether the new Fantastic Four movie can reverse Marvel’s recent slump; the subversive new romcom ‘Oh Hi!’, and the pop-cultural impact of Hulk Hogan and Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, both of whom died this week. 

The executive director of the Giller Prize says that Canada’s most prestigious literary award will be forced to close if they don’t get millions of dollars from the federal government. This comes after the Gillers cut ties with its former lead sponsor because of its connection to an Israeli arms manufacturer. Marsha Lederman joins Commotion guest host Eli Glasner to talk about why it’s such a predictable outcome, and what’s at stake for CanLit. Plus, when CBS announced that 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' would be ending in 2026, the news was not taken lying down by late night TV hosts — the least of all Jon Stewart. Culture writer Devin Gordon talks to Eli about the fallout from the cancellation, and why it took Colbert getting axed to bring out late night’s fiery side again. 

Toronto rocker Danko Jones, culture critic Niko Stratis, music journalist Melissa Vincent join guest host Eli Glasner to talk about the legacy of the late Ozzy Osbourne.