Jamie Foxx's new comedy special is 'more like a variety show'

Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud25:00Balatro and the highs and lows of gaming in 2024, and Jamie Foxx's Netflix special

2024 was a year of highs and lows for the video game industry. There was a labour strike, mass layoffs and controversies around diversifying the gaming world. There were also long-anticipated new releases from big franchises and surprise indie successes from smaller developers. Culture writer Jonathan Ore and podcast host and producer Camille Salazar Hadaway join guest host Ali Hassan to talk about how the past year played out in the video game industry. Plus, comedian and culture critic Ashley Ray discusses Jamie Foxx’s new Netflix standuup special 'What Had Happened Was…' and the online reaction to it.

News broke last year that Jamie Foxx had been admitted into an Atlanta hospital. However, there were little to no details about his illness, other than he was fighting for his life. The online reaction and conspiracy theories went through the roof.

Now, the comedian, actor and singer is back and addressing the rumours through his new Netflix special, What Had Happened Was…Comedian and culture critic Ashley Ray joins Commotion guest host Ali Hassan to discuss both the merits and disappointment of Foxx's first special in 20 years, as well as the online reaction to it. 

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview with Ashley Ray produced by Ty Callender.