How Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show mined personal trauma for entertainment | CBC Arts

The series Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show follows comedian Jerrod Carmichael as he mines his personal tensions between himself as a recently out gay man and his loved ones.

At times, the series can be both devastatingly awkward and deeply heartbreaking in equal measure. With the season finale out now, the show overall has raised some interesting questions around the morality of what Carmichael has tried to accomplish.

Cassie Cao is a comedian, writer and actor from Toronto, Ontario. Jackson Weaver is a reporter with CBC’s Entertainment unit. They join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to react to the season finale of Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, and what Jerrod’s approach to mining his own trauma might say about the shifting line between comedy, reality shows and their audiences.

WATCH | Today’s episode on YouTube: 

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 Ty Callender.