News agencies are refusing to run the most recent photo of Kate Middleton and her kids because they could see it had been doctored. Charlie Warzel says nothing showcases the choose-your-own reality information dystopia we’re living in better than this photo blunder. Plus, Grey's Anatomy's 20th season debuts this week without its titular character (sort of). Entertainment journalists Sarah Hunter Simanson and Emily Longeretta join Elamin to talk about how this show became such an iconic staple of network TV, how it navigated so much change over the last 20 years and where it's landed now.

Reesa Teesa recently blew up on TikTok with her fifty part "Who TF did I Marry?" series detailing her previous toxic marriage. CT Jones and Amanda Hess join Elamin to discuss what Teesa’s viral moment says about the platform’s growing popularity amongst 40+ audiences. Plus, TV critic Hanna Flint shares her thoughts on HBO’s new political satire, The Regime. Kate Winslet stars as an authoritarian leader in an unnamed central European country. But is the show strong enough to hold HBO’s coveted Sunday slot?

Just for Laughs, the world's biggest comedy festival, is cancelled this year due to financial problems. Ali Hassan and Cassie Cao read the tea leaves and imagine a future for standup comedians like themselves without the festival. Plus, a new series about Wendy Williams – the iconic former talk show host – documents her slide into dementia. But it’s unclear whether she consented to the way she’d be portrayed. Tayo Bero calls it a voyeuristic mess and says Hollywood should know better. She’ll share her concerns with Elamin.

Following two Hollywood strikes and an exciting year for film, the 96th Academy Awards have finally arrived. Entertainment journalists Eli Glasner, Rachel Ho and Johnnie Jae join host Elamin to unpack the highs and lows of this year’s Oscars.

There is zero Oscars buzz about one of the best performances of the year, and that's because it's not by a human. Messi — a seven year old Border Collie — plays Snoop in Anatomy of a Fall. We’ll talk with a dog trainer about what went in to his incredible performance and why no matter how good AI gets, it will never be able to replace real animals on screen.

The Commotion Friday Group Chat convenes to talk about this week’s big blockbuster pop release — Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine — and why some fans have turned on her. Joining Elamin this week are music journalist Maura Johnston, and culture writers Niko Stratis and Anne T. Donahue. Plus, The Future by Catherine Leroux, translated by Susan Ouriou and championed by Heather O’Neill has won Canada Reads 2024. Heather and Catherine join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to recap the week of debates and bask in the warm glow of victory.

Ahead of the Oscars this weekend, writers Hunter Harris, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Omar El Akkad join Elamin to talk about the greatest acceptance speeches of all time and why more people aren’t taking advantage of the platform to amplify the causes they care about.

On Tuesday, the comedy world was rocked by the news that Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival was canceling its 2024 edition after financial hardships. Montreal Gazette writer T’Cha Dunlevy checks in with a local perspective on the impact JFL’s absence will have on the city, and whether the festival can bounce back. Plus, on the Netflix reality show Love is Blind, men and women get engaged before ever seeing each other in person. The show has earned Emmy nominations and more than a billion viewers – but has it proved its point? Amil Niazi and Kathryn VanArendonk join host Elamin to unpack the results of this so-called love experiment, six seasons in.

Film and culture critics Bilge Ebiri, Rad Simonpillai and Niko Stratis join Elamin to discuss biopics and what it means when they are seen as more fact than fiction, and families and estates are involved in making them.

On top of giving interviews and hosting reading events, many authors are often pressured by their publishers to write personal essays about topics related to their book for various media outlets, as a means of selling themselves to a wider audience. Writers Tajja Isen and Vivek Shraya explain why book publishers, media sites, and readers alike have become enamored with the personal-essay format and why many authors aren’t pleased about the additional work being required of them. Plus, culture writer Aparita Bhandari joins Elamin to talk about the new film Laapataa Ladies. She explains how this film makes a story set in rural India feel universal and why it's exciting to finally get a second film from Indian director and producer Kiran Rao.