Latest news with #AmilNiazi
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Why watch a true crime documentary when you can watch Murder, Mystery & Makeup on YouTube?
Beauty influencers are now incorporating true crime into their make-up video content. Every Monday on her channel, YouTuber Bailey Sarian posts videos of her doing her full make-up routine in a "get ready with me" style, while she recounts the details of a real, notorious murder mystery case. Last week, she made a video about Robert Pickton, the Canadian man who died in prison while serving a life sentence for six counts of second-degree murder. He was charged with murdering 26 women in B.C., and remains or DNA of 33 women — many who were Indigenous — were found on Pickton's Port Coquitlam, B.C., pig farm. Today on Commotion, culture critics Amil Niazi and Riley Yesno join guest host Ali Hassan to discuss the trend and what it says about our relationship with true crime today. WARNING: This conversation deals with difficult subject matter, including violence against Indigenous women. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Ali: Last week, [Bailey Sarian] talked about the case of Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton…. Riley, how gruesome is this case and, given that, what was it like to watch her video? Riley: It was rough at times. I know that there are obviously the very immediately impacted families of the victims in this case, but Robert Pickton in particular is, I think, a case that, for Indigenous people in Canada, has become synonymous with the larger crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. And so it's something that is brought up … in very serious contexts, in times of immense grief. And so, it is weird to see, like, ads for her sponsor kind of in the mix of that. And it gets to the point where I think that, we can talk about crime, but are we doing it in a trauma-informed way? Are we doing it with integrity? Are we doing it for a purpose that is about information, and education and honesty, as opposed to just entertainment and commercialization? I think that's a very important line to have established. Ali: Yeah, and I think it's very interesting … hearing that, and the way we've been talking about this story, it does seem like it would feel very insensitive to many people. The very surprising thing is when you scroll through the comments, it's incredible how much of it is overwhelmingly positive. You have people weighing in about the connections they had to the case. People saying, "I lived down the street from him. I knew a victim. Thank you for covering this. I've been waiting years for you to cover this and share this story." What do you make of that positivity, Amil? Amil: I was just getting my start as a young journalism intern when Robert Pickton was arrested, and I actually went down to the farm and was working for CityTV. So I remember being very steeped in the details of this case, and they still sit with me. It's a very horrific case, but I'm not surprised at all that someone like this, telling this case and really digging into the details in a way that not that many people have done is relatable and is refreshing to commenters. I read a lot of the comments. It was people who had known the family, had known Robert Pickton, had been on the farm. And they have felt, up until now, that no one has really talked about the many more details that they are familiar with in this way. And I think it's refreshing. To me, it's a lot like Jeffrey Epstein. It's a case that you have heard about for many years. You are familiar with some of the more horrific details. And yet, you still feel like it's being blazed over, or that there are people involved who are being blazed over, who are getting off scot-free. So I understand why her speaking so bluntly and so casually about it is actually kind of refreshing — because she's saying things that people have been waiting a long time to hear. And so I think this is, in many ways, the perfect medium for cases like this to be spoken about. Ali: Riley, what are your thoughts on this? Riley: I guess this points to, maybe, this half-baked idea I have here, which is that the justice system, I think in general, does a really poor job of creating space for collective healing, right? We're told a good outcome is a guilty verdict on a charge, which he got, and that's that, and we've done our job when it comes to crime. When in fact, we know that the ripple effects of crimes like this are profound, and they affect not just the immediate victims, but wider communities like the comments are really alluding to. And so do I think true crime podcast makeup and murder is the way to do it? Maybe not, but do people need a space to be able to talk about it, to be heard, to feel like they can share these details? Absolutely. And it's something that as a society at large, we really fail to do. And I think true crime and mediums like this are just filling in that gap that is actually really important, I think, to a sense of collective healing amongst people — which I didn't think I would associate with this video necessarily, but is the idea, the thread. 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. Panel produced by Nikky Manfredi.
CBC
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Why watch a true crime documentary when you can watch a makeup tutorial?
Social Sharing Beauty influencers are now incorporating true crime into their make-up video content. Every Monday on her channel, YouTuber Bailey Sarian posts videos of her doing her full make-up routine in a "get ready with me" style, while she recounts the details of a real, notorious murder mystery case. Last week, she made a video about Robert Pickton, the Canadian man who died in prison while serving a life sentence for six counts of second-degree murder. He was charged with murdering 26 women in B.C., and remains or DNA of 33 women — many who were Indigenous — were found on Pickton's Port Coquitlam, B.C., pig farm. Today on Commotion, culture critics Amil Niazi and Riley Yesno join guest host Ali Hassan to discuss the trend and what it says about our relationship with true crime today. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Ali: Last week, [Bailey Sarian] talked about the case of Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton…. Riley, how gruesome is this case and, given that, what was it like to watch her video? Riley: It was rough at times. I know that there are obviously the very immediately impacted families of the victims in this case, but Robert Pickton in particular is, I think, a case that, for Indigenous people in Canada, has become synonymous with the larger crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. And so it's something that is brought up … in very serious contexts, in times of immense grief. And so, it is weird to see, like, ads for her sponsor kind of in the mix of that. And it gets to the point where I think that, we can talk about crime, but are we doing it in a trauma-informed way? Are we doing it with integrity? Are we doing it for a purpose that is about information, and education and honesty, as opposed to just entertainment and commercialization? I think that's a very important line to have established. Ali: Yeah, and I think it's very interesting … hearing that, and the way we've been talking about this story, it does seem like it would feel very insensitive to many people. The very surprising thing is when you scroll through the comments, it's incredible how much of it is overwhelmingly positive. You have people weighing in about the connections they had to the case. People saying, "I lived down the street from him. I knew a victim. Thank you for covering this. I've been waiting years for you to cover this and share this story." What do you make of that positivity, Amil? Amil: I was just getting my start as a young journalism intern when Robert Pickton was arrested, and I actually went down to the farm and was working for CityTV. So I remember being very steeped in the details of this case, and they still sit with me. It's a very horrific case, but I'm not surprised at all that someone like this, telling this case and really digging into the details in a way that not that many people have done is relatable and is refreshing to commenters. I read a lot of the comments. It was people who had known the family, had known Robert Pickton, had been on the farm. And they have felt, up until now, that no one has really talked about the many more details that they are familiar with in this way. And I think it's refreshing. To me, it's a lot like Jeffrey Epstein. It's a case that you have heard about for many years. You are familiar with some of the more horrific details. And yet, you still feel like it's being blazed over, or that there are people involved who are being blazed over, who are getting off scot-free. So I understand why her speaking so bluntly and so casually about it is actually kind of refreshing — because she's saying things that people have been waiting a long time to hear. And so I think this is, in many ways, the perfect medium for cases like this to be spoken about. Ali: Riley, what are your thoughts on this? Riley: I guess this points to, maybe, this half-baked idea I have here, which is that the justice system, I think in general, does a really poor job of creating space for collective healing, right? We're told a good outcome is a guilty verdict on a charge, which he got, and that's that, and we've done our job when it comes to crime. When in fact, we know that the ripple effects of crimes like this are profound, and they affect not just the immediate victims, but wider communities like the comments are really alluding to. And so do I think true crime podcast makeup and murder is the way to do it? Maybe not, but do people need a space to be able to talk about it, to be heard, to feel like they can share these details? Absolutely. And it's something that as a society at large, we really fail to do. And I think true crime and mediums like this are just filling in that gap that is actually really important, I think, to a sense of collective healing amongst people — which I didn't think I would associate with this video necessarily, but is the idea, the thread.
CBC
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Has Gen Z finally gotten their version of Friends?
Social Sharing Is there finally a Gen Z version of Friends on TV? Adults, FX's new sitcom about 20-somethings in New York City, may be the show that captures the younger generation's growing pains. Guest host Amil Niazi sits down with critic Rendy Jones to discuss Adults and if Gen Z thinks the show accurately portrays their experiences.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's behind Severance's explosive success?
Apple TV+'s sci-fi drama Severance has broken records with the launch of its second season, which the company says has surpassed Ted Lasso to become the most-watched series in its history. The show returned on Jan. 17 after a three-year hiatus, with the Season 2 finale scheduled to drop on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET. What's behind its explosive success? Part of it could be its portrayal of extreme corporate control that people find relatable, critics say, coming at a time when workplace issues are front of mind for many. "I love this show. I think it's so thought-provoking and provocative and just impeccably directed, every single frame of the show feels very purposeful and deliberate," said Jen Chaney, a TV critic based in Washington, D.C. The show is in a way a metaphor for compartmentalization, Chaney said. Between a never-ending news cycle and personal obligations, many people may be contemplating how to stay up to date while remaining productive in their everyday lives. (Apple TV+) Though the show's concept may feel like it's from an alternate universe, she said, it still speaks to people's issues with the modern workplace, such as work-life balance. "There is a component there that resonates with a lot of people." A metaphor for compartmentalization The Emmy-winning show, created by Dan Erickson and executive produced by Ben Stiller, follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), who leads a team at Lumon Industries, a biotechnology company. Some of Lumon's employees have undergone a "severance procedure," which splits the consciousness of their work and personal selves, respectively referred to as their "innies" and their "outies." The innies work on seemingly mundane projects whose purposes are kept secret even from them. The ethics of the experiment are called into question when Mark finds himself at the centre of an unravelling personal mystery. He and his fellow innies realize they must confront the true nature of their work and find out who they really are. "It does an incredible job of capturing the drudgery of corporate life," said Amil Niazi, a Toronto-based culture critic. The show is in a way a metaphor for compartmentalization, Chaney said. Between a never-ending news cycle and personal obligations, many people may be contemplating how to stay up to date while remaining productive in their everyday lives. 'The first season came at a really interesting point in time when people were really starting to re-examine their relationship to work. And the concept is just so immediately relatable,' said Amil Niazi, a Toronto-based culture critic. (Apple TV+) "And even though Severance isn't saying any of that explicitly, I do think there's a little bit of a subtext in the themes of the show that maybe makes it extra resonant right now." Timing a contributing factor The timing of the show's release may have also contributed to its popularity. Season 1 of Severance was released in 2022, when the world was still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and workplace discourse centred around issues like "quiet quitting" — putting in the minimum effort required to keep one's job — and whether employees would be called back into offices. "The first season came at a really interesting point in time when people were really starting to re-examine their relationship to work. And the concept is just so immediately relatable," Niazi said. Ben Stiller, executive producer and primary director of Severance, speaks at the SXSW 2025 Conference and Festivals at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas, on March 9. (Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images) "For all of the strange goings-on and the sci-fi aspect of the show, it really just asks, 'What if your work and home life were completely severed in two?' And I think that premise is really intriguing to a lot of people." Reception to the first season was strong, but because of the pandemic and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, there was a three-year wait for the second season. While such a gap in many circumstances would've killed a show, Niazi says it gave the show time to develop new fans in the interim and build a strong support base online. "Ben Stiller has done an amazing job of really responding to fans, helping to feed some of the theories and really diving in on social media in a way that we're not used to seeing creators, especially at his star level, doing." WATCH | Severance's Canadian cinematographer-turned-director: Are you an innie or outie? The success of Severance is also a win for Canadian cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné, who made her directorial debut on Episode 7 of the show, to positive critical reception. "I think we can relate to it in many ways," she said of the series. "We are so lost in our phones, in our work, and we are numbing a lot and trying not to feel certain things. So we can all relate to this process of not wanting to face certain things in our lives." However, she said, the innies' quest to find themselves may speak to "a voice inside of us that wants to come out," as well. "I feel like we see parts of ourselves — and the fact that it's so well made and executed — people feel like something's been given to them." The show's success is also a win for Canadian cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné who made her directorial debut on the show, having also directed Episode 7 which has been hailed as a masterpiece by some. (Apple TV+) Gagné sees herself as a reverse innie-outie. "I definitely have been lost in my work for a really long time and forgot about myself. So it's almost like the person that everyone knows me as the outie is this cinematographer person. But my innie is kind of a director. And now it's like I found my innie and she's kicking and screaming."
