November 26th, 2009 / 2:08 am
I Like __ A Lot

Food for Thought With Sasha Grey

Sasha Grey at the First Thanksgiving

Sasha Grey at the First Thanksgiving

DD: Do you think it can be a really positive thing to do so much so young because you learn so much.


SG:
Yeah, over the past few years my learning curve has been huge and sometimes people say, ‘Don’t you just want to be a normal 21-year-old and go party and have fun?’ No, I mean why do you think great artists of our time have always said youth is wasted on the young? I don’t want to be an old a person in regret and think I should have done this but I was off being lazy. There are enough mistakes we make as human beings anyway, so let the mistakes be real mistakes not chosen mistakes.

You know what? I think this is great advice. The rest of the interview isn’t bad either. (via Jezebel.)

Tags: , ,

105 Comments

  1. Merzmensch aka kosmopol

      Weird, Sasha Grey shares the same inicials with Suicide Girls. A coincidence? Or “Nomen es omen”? I mean, her charisma and so.

  2. Merzmensch aka kosmopol

      Weird, Sasha Grey shares the same inicials with Suicide Girls. A coincidence? Or “Nomen es omen”? I mean, her charisma and so.

  3. Merzmensch aka kosmopol

      Weird, Sasha Grey shares the same inicials with Suicide Girls. A coincidence? Or “Nomen es omen”? I mean, her charisma and so.

  4. michael james

      she’s purty when she speaked smart

  5. michael james

      she’s purty when she speaked smart

  6. michael james

      she’s purty when she speaked smart

  7. Justin Taylor

      Also, Jim Casey in Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” and John Coffey in Stephen King’s “The Green Mile” and “Joe Christmas” in Faulkner’s “A Fable” and Jerry Cornelius in all those Michael Moorcock books all share the same initials. I wonder what those authors were getting at. Probably another porn reference, of some kind.

  8. Justin Taylor

      Also, Jim Casey in Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” and John Coffey in Stephen King’s “The Green Mile” and “Joe Christmas” in Faulkner’s “A Fable” and Jerry Cornelius in all those Michael Moorcock books all share the same initials. I wonder what those authors were getting at. Probably another porn reference, of some kind.

  9. Justin Taylor

      Also, Jim Casey in Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” and John Coffey in Stephen King’s “The Green Mile” and “Joe Christmas” in Faulkner’s “A Fable” and Jerry Cornelius in all those Michael Moorcock books all share the same initials. I wonder what those authors were getting at. Probably another porn reference, of some kind.

  10. m

      John Connor in Terminator. This is so porny.

  11. m

      John Connor in Terminator. This is so porny.

  12. m

      John Connor in Terminator. This is so porny.

  13. ryan

      She’s an “existentialist porn star.”

      *vomits*

  14. ryan

      She’s an “existentialist porn star.”

      *vomits*

  15. ryan

      She’s an “existentialist porn star.”

      *vomits*

  16. Justin Taylor

      What, only nice girls are allowed to read Sartre? Say what you will about National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.

  17. Justin Taylor

      What, only nice girls are allowed to read Sartre? Say what you will about National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.

  18. Justin Taylor

      What, only nice girls are allowed to read Sartre? Say what you will about National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.

  19. Jimmy Chen

      i often wonder if those who enjoy grey as a cultural figure have actually seen her porn. it’s just hard to take this ’empowered sexuality’ seriously having seen what she does (or let’s others do to her). i hate to be graphic, but she’ll fellate a member that’s been inside her anus while being spat on and smacked. i’m a guy, with a conventional way of viewing porn, but i doubt the feminists find her actions empowering. i think it’s a marketing schtick, the same way people view marilyn manson as being intellectual. five loads of semen on one’s face is not Kantian because she kant see.

  20. Jimmy Chen

      i often wonder if those who enjoy grey as a cultural figure have actually seen her porn. it’s just hard to take this ’empowered sexuality’ seriously having seen what she does (or let’s others do to her). i hate to be graphic, but she’ll fellate a member that’s been inside her anus while being spat on and smacked. i’m a guy, with a conventional way of viewing porn, but i doubt the feminists find her actions empowering. i think it’s a marketing schtick, the same way people view marilyn manson as being intellectual. five loads of semen on one’s face is not Kantian because she kant see.

  21. Jimmy Chen

      i often wonder if those who enjoy grey as a cultural figure have actually seen her porn. it’s just hard to take this ’empowered sexuality’ seriously having seen what she does (or let’s others do to her). i hate to be graphic, but she’ll fellate a member that’s been inside her anus while being spat on and smacked. i’m a guy, with a conventional way of viewing porn, but i doubt the feminists find her actions empowering. i think it’s a marketing schtick, the same way people view marilyn manson as being intellectual. five loads of semen on one’s face is not Kantian because she kant see.

  22. drew kalbach

      those people are nihilists. they don’t believe in anything.

  23. drew kalbach

      those people are nihilists. they don’t believe in anything.

  24. drew kalbach

      those people are nihilists. they don’t believe in anything.

  25. drew kalbach

      dropping puns like loads

  26. drew kalbach

      dropping puns like loads

  27. drew kalbach

      dropping puns like loads

  28. drew kalbach

      what exactly is an ‘existential investigation’ into sex work? the idea that anal precedes essence? i really don’t follow.

  29. drew kalbach

      what exactly is an ‘existential investigation’ into sex work? the idea that anal precedes essence? i really don’t follow.

  30. drew kalbach

      what exactly is an ‘existential investigation’ into sex work? the idea that anal precedes essence? i really don’t follow.

  31. Nick

      Her porn sucks, she always looks drugged or “somewhere else,” not “in the moment.”

  32. Nick

      Her porn sucks, she always looks drugged or “somewhere else,” not “in the moment.”

  33. Nick

      Her porn sucks, she always looks drugged or “somewhere else,” not “in the moment.”

  34. Justin Taylor

      When you say, “a conventional way of viewing porn,” do you mean a laptop?

      I don’t understand what the graphic sex acts you describe have to do with the larger questions that you raise. Are you suggesting that when you watch porn it impacts and influences you to such a degree that you lose control of your own desires, and find them re-shaped by what you have seen? That is, after watching the above-described, are you filled with the desire to subject your wife to the same treatment? If this is truly how desires are transmitted, why not just watch it with her and then you’d both want the same thing, right? Does “conventional” porn fill you with the desire to do a shitty job of pretending to be a TV repairman? Does watching South Park compel you to walk around in a beanie all day, irrespective of the weather? Do video games, music, and this blog have the same effect? How do you get through a day?

      Anyway, I’ve seen SG in various states of action–most recently at the New Museum, as part of the “Case” performance piece that Brody Condon and Brandon Stosuy organized–but I’m not trying to sell her as a cultural icon or a role model, or even as an intellectual. I’m not trying to sell her, or a position about her, period. I just thought this was a pretty good interview with a reasonably interesting person. If you boys want to fight about press releases and magazines ledes you’ve read, be my guest, but take it to an SG messageboard- I imagine they exist.

      What I admire about SG is embodied in the quote I chose to post– this idea that the call to be a “normal” whatever is essentially a call to mediocrity. I especially like that last line, about making sure your mistakes are real mistakes. I see someone who at 21 is doing exactly what she wants to do, setting her own hours, and living well. It’s as much as anyone could ask for, and more than most of us will ever get. But that’s the point- you don’t get it by asking.

  35. Justin Taylor

      When you say, “a conventional way of viewing porn,” do you mean a laptop?

      I don’t understand what the graphic sex acts you describe have to do with the larger questions that you raise. Are you suggesting that when you watch porn it impacts and influences you to such a degree that you lose control of your own desires, and find them re-shaped by what you have seen? That is, after watching the above-described, are you filled with the desire to subject your wife to the same treatment? If this is truly how desires are transmitted, why not just watch it with her and then you’d both want the same thing, right? Does “conventional” porn fill you with the desire to do a shitty job of pretending to be a TV repairman? Does watching South Park compel you to walk around in a beanie all day, irrespective of the weather? Do video games, music, and this blog have the same effect? How do you get through a day?

      Anyway, I’ve seen SG in various states of action–most recently at the New Museum, as part of the “Case” performance piece that Brody Condon and Brandon Stosuy organized–but I’m not trying to sell her as a cultural icon or a role model, or even as an intellectual. I’m not trying to sell her, or a position about her, period. I just thought this was a pretty good interview with a reasonably interesting person. If you boys want to fight about press releases and magazines ledes you’ve read, be my guest, but take it to an SG messageboard- I imagine they exist.

      What I admire about SG is embodied in the quote I chose to post– this idea that the call to be a “normal” whatever is essentially a call to mediocrity. I especially like that last line, about making sure your mistakes are real mistakes. I see someone who at 21 is doing exactly what she wants to do, setting her own hours, and living well. It’s as much as anyone could ask for, and more than most of us will ever get. But that’s the point- you don’t get it by asking.

  36. Justin Taylor

      When you say, “a conventional way of viewing porn,” do you mean a laptop?

      I don’t understand what the graphic sex acts you describe have to do with the larger questions that you raise. Are you suggesting that when you watch porn it impacts and influences you to such a degree that you lose control of your own desires, and find them re-shaped by what you have seen? That is, after watching the above-described, are you filled with the desire to subject your wife to the same treatment? If this is truly how desires are transmitted, why not just watch it with her and then you’d both want the same thing, right? Does “conventional” porn fill you with the desire to do a shitty job of pretending to be a TV repairman? Does watching South Park compel you to walk around in a beanie all day, irrespective of the weather? Do video games, music, and this blog have the same effect? How do you get through a day?

      Anyway, I’ve seen SG in various states of action–most recently at the New Museum, as part of the “Case” performance piece that Brody Condon and Brandon Stosuy organized–but I’m not trying to sell her as a cultural icon or a role model, or even as an intellectual. I’m not trying to sell her, or a position about her, period. I just thought this was a pretty good interview with a reasonably interesting person. If you boys want to fight about press releases and magazines ledes you’ve read, be my guest, but take it to an SG messageboard- I imagine they exist.

      What I admire about SG is embodied in the quote I chose to post– this idea that the call to be a “normal” whatever is essentially a call to mediocrity. I especially like that last line, about making sure your mistakes are real mistakes. I see someone who at 21 is doing exactly what she wants to do, setting her own hours, and living well. It’s as much as anyone could ask for, and more than most of us will ever get. But that’s the point- you don’t get it by asking.

  37. Merzmensch aka kosmopol

      And Jesu… Oh my goodness! oO

  38. Merzmensch aka kosmopol

      And Jesu… Oh my goodness! oO

  39. Merzmensch aka kosmopol

      And Jesu… Oh my goodness! oO

  40. david

      ah, that must be exhausting

  41. david

      ah, that must be exhausting

  42. david

      ah, that must be exhausting

  43. david

      tyra banks approves of this message

      yeah, empowering isn’t what i think of when i think of Ms. Grey

  44. david

      tyra banks approves of this message

      yeah, empowering isn’t what i think of when i think of Ms. Grey

  45. david

      tyra banks approves of this message

      yeah, empowering isn’t what i think of when i think of Ms. Grey

  46. david

      um, that is not what i have ‘heard’

  47. david

      um, that is not what i have ‘heard’

  48. drew kalbach

      ‘If you boys want to fight about press releases and magazines ledes you’ve read, be my guest, but take it to an SG messageboard’

      why can’t it be discussed right here? fascist!

  49. drew kalbach

      ‘If you boys want to fight about press releases and magazines ledes you’ve read, be my guest, but take it to an SG messageboard’

      why can’t it be discussed right here? fascist!

  50. david

      um, that is not what i have ‘heard’

  51. drew kalbach

      ‘If you boys want to fight about press releases and magazines ledes you’ve read, be my guest, but take it to an SG messageboard’

      why can’t it be discussed right here? fascist!

  52. david

      i hear you justin

      porn has gotten nastier and nastier since i was a kid watching it

      jimmy refers to the kind of porn that i associate with ms. g…it is hardcore shit with her basically getting beaten up (slapped, spit on, fucked in the mouth until she gags)….even if it’s part of the “show” the dudes are working her over

      i heard when tyra called her out for acting so empowered…she referred to this kind of thing. it’s my understanding (didn’t see the ep) that SG said she wanted her own company for control of scenes purposes…since she said she wasn’t empowered at all early in her career and basically had to do whatever was in the scene

      in any event, i don’t begrudge her for a second for doing this stuff for her job and then doing all sorts of cool stuff outside of it. i have a shitty job and try to write during my off time.

  53. david

      i hear you justin

      porn has gotten nastier and nastier since i was a kid watching it

      jimmy refers to the kind of porn that i associate with ms. g…it is hardcore shit with her basically getting beaten up (slapped, spit on, fucked in the mouth until she gags)….even if it’s part of the “show” the dudes are working her over

      i heard when tyra called her out for acting so empowered…she referred to this kind of thing. it’s my understanding (didn’t see the ep) that SG said she wanted her own company for control of scenes purposes…since she said she wasn’t empowered at all early in her career and basically had to do whatever was in the scene

      in any event, i don’t begrudge her for a second for doing this stuff for her job and then doing all sorts of cool stuff outside of it. i have a shitty job and try to write during my off time.

  54. Roxane Gay

      There’s nothing empowered about going from back to front. She’s a “smart” girl who does porn and so she frames her porn work with this intellectualism so that people don’t confuse her with a, say, Jesse James. I find her porn boring but I don’t think I’m the target audience.

  55. Roxane Gay

      There’s nothing empowered about going from back to front. She’s a “smart” girl who does porn and so she frames her porn work with this intellectualism so that people don’t confuse her with a, say, Jesse James. I find her porn boring but I don’t think I’m the target audience.

  56. david

      i hear you justin

      porn has gotten nastier and nastier since i was a kid watching it

      jimmy refers to the kind of porn that i associate with ms. g…it is hardcore shit with her basically getting beaten up (slapped, spit on, fucked in the mouth until she gags)….even if it’s part of the “show” the dudes are working her over

      i heard when tyra called her out for acting so empowered…she referred to this kind of thing. it’s my understanding (didn’t see the ep) that SG said she wanted her own company for control of scenes purposes…since she said she wasn’t empowered at all early in her career and basically had to do whatever was in the scene

      in any event, i don’t begrudge her for a second for doing this stuff for her job and then doing all sorts of cool stuff outside of it. i have a shitty job and try to write during my off time.

  57. Roxane Gay

      There’s nothing empowered about going from back to front. She’s a “smart” girl who does porn and so she frames her porn work with this intellectualism so that people don’t confuse her with a, say, Jesse James. I find her porn boring but I don’t think I’m the target audience.

  58. Mr. Wonderful

      Chill out, dude. No one’s questioning the earnestness of your feelings toward SG. Maybe you’re not selling her as anything but take a cursory look at her myspace and website or whatever and it’s obvious she’s trying to sell a certain persona (self-aware, self-empowered, intellectual, hip, feminist, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s what any public figure does. But there’s nothing wrong evaluating her public image and asserting that, hey, she doesn’t actually come across as that smart, sincere, or eloquent after all. In fact, she’s about as interesting most 21-year-olds. Yes, it’s admirable that, because of her talent or for other reasons, she’s able to work on all these neat projects, but so what? Personally, I’m not very interested in her music career (or even her porn career).

  59. Mr. Wonderful

      Chill out, dude. No one’s questioning the earnestness of your feelings toward SG. Maybe you’re not selling her as anything but take a cursory look at her myspace and website or whatever and it’s obvious she’s trying to sell a certain persona (self-aware, self-empowered, intellectual, hip, feminist, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s what any public figure does. But there’s nothing wrong evaluating her public image and asserting that, hey, she doesn’t actually come across as that smart, sincere, or eloquent after all. In fact, she’s about as interesting most 21-year-olds. Yes, it’s admirable that, because of her talent or for other reasons, she’s able to work on all these neat projects, but so what? Personally, I’m not very interested in her music career (or even her porn career).

  60. Mr. Wonderful

      Chill out, dude. No one’s questioning the earnestness of your feelings toward SG. Maybe you’re not selling her as anything but take a cursory look at her myspace and website or whatever and it’s obvious she’s trying to sell a certain persona (self-aware, self-empowered, intellectual, hip, feminist, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s what any public figure does. But there’s nothing wrong evaluating her public image and asserting that, hey, she doesn’t actually come across as that smart, sincere, or eloquent after all. In fact, she’s about as interesting most 21-year-olds. Yes, it’s admirable that, because of her talent or for other reasons, she’s able to work on all these neat projects, but so what? Personally, I’m not very interested in her music career (or even her porn career).

  61. barry

      drew:

      justin is the decider. weren’t you informed?

  62. barry

      drew:

      justin is the decider. weren’t you informed?

  63. barry

      drew:

      justin is the decider. weren’t you informed?

  64. reynard

      since i take tumblr to be the new cultural indicator of 18-22 yr old males and females, i can say without a doubt, porn is only going to get bigger and more mainstream in the coming years. but also, i think it could get less ‘nasty’ and more ‘artsy,’ or anyway, the stuff that might be marketed to young people probably will.

      given the ‘success’ of porn blogs like synthetic pubes, websites like suicide girls, and the films of joe swanberg, which attempt to combat the abundant stereotypes in most all nudity, this seems likely.

      have any of you guys seen the film _gate of flesh_ by seijun suzuki? it’s pretty much the definitive proof that porn can be art (and it was made in 1964). it makes _eyes wide shut_ look like a rap video.

  65. reynard

      since i take tumblr to be the new cultural indicator of 18-22 yr old males and females, i can say without a doubt, porn is only going to get bigger and more mainstream in the coming years. but also, i think it could get less ‘nasty’ and more ‘artsy,’ or anyway, the stuff that might be marketed to young people probably will.

      given the ‘success’ of porn blogs like synthetic pubes, websites like suicide girls, and the films of joe swanberg, which attempt to combat the abundant stereotypes in most all nudity, this seems likely.

      have any of you guys seen the film _gate of flesh_ by seijun suzuki? it’s pretty much the definitive proof that porn can be art (and it was made in 1964). it makes _eyes wide shut_ look like a rap video.

  66. reynard

      since i take tumblr to be the new cultural indicator of 18-22 yr old males and females, i can say without a doubt, porn is only going to get bigger and more mainstream in the coming years. but also, i think it could get less ‘nasty’ and more ‘artsy,’ or anyway, the stuff that might be marketed to young people probably will.

      given the ‘success’ of porn blogs like synthetic pubes, websites like suicide girls, and the films of joe swanberg, which attempt to combat the abundant stereotypes in most all nudity, this seems likely.

      have any of you guys seen the film _gate of flesh_ by seijun suzuki? it’s pretty much the definitive proof that porn can be art (and it was made in 1964). it makes _eyes wide shut_ look like a rap video.

  67. m

      Ayo…

  68. m

      Ayo…

  69. m

      Ayo…

  70. Aaron

      yesterday was gastronomic porn, jesus h, i have a gravy hangover.

  71. Aaron

      yesterday was gastronomic porn, jesus h, i have a gravy hangover.

  72. Aaron

      yesterday was gastronomic porn, jesus h, i have a gravy hangover.

  73. Jonny Ross

      bingo-bango, skip

  74. Jonny Ross

      bingo-bango, skip

  75. Jonny Ross

      bingo-bango, skip

  76. Jonny Ross

      the dude abides

  77. Jonny Ross

      the dude abides

  78. Jonny Ross

      the dude abides

  79. Richard

      i think sasha’s brilliant – her interviews are fascinating, and her work, well…guess that depends on what gets you off – she’s not really my “type” but i love listening to her speak – thanks JT for the post, very interesting stuff

  80. Richard

      i think sasha’s brilliant – her interviews are fascinating, and her work, well…guess that depends on what gets you off – she’s not really my “type” but i love listening to her speak – thanks JT for the post, very interesting stuff

  81. Richard

      i think sasha’s brilliant – her interviews are fascinating, and her work, well…guess that depends on what gets you off – she’s not really my “type” but i love listening to her speak – thanks JT for the post, very interesting stuff

  82. Tadd Adcox

      I know I’m coming in late to the discussion, but this piece from the Rumpus seems pertinent, as it specifically deals with SG on the Tyra Banks show:

      http://therumpus.net/2009/06/barely-legal-whores-get-gang-fed/

      Also? I hate Tyra Banks. But for other reasons. For America’s-Next-Top-Model-related reasons.

  83. Tadd Adcox

      I know I’m coming in late to the discussion, but this piece from the Rumpus seems pertinent, as it specifically deals with SG on the Tyra Banks show:

      http://therumpus.net/2009/06/barely-legal-whores-get-gang-fed/

      Also? I hate Tyra Banks. But for other reasons. For America’s-Next-Top-Model-related reasons.

  84. Tadd Adcox

      I know I’m coming in late to the discussion, but this piece from the Rumpus seems pertinent, as it specifically deals with SG on the Tyra Banks show:

      http://therumpus.net/2009/06/barely-legal-whores-get-gang-fed/

      Also? I hate Tyra Banks. But for other reasons. For America’s-Next-Top-Model-related reasons.

  85. david erlewine

      good stuff, i remember this interview but didn’t think to cut/paste it

      ha, i hate TB for other reasons, too

  86. david erlewine

      good stuff, i remember this interview but didn’t think to cut/paste it

      ha, i hate TB for other reasons, too

  87. david erlewine

      good stuff, i remember this interview but didn’t think to cut/paste it

      ha, i hate TB for other reasons, too

  88. rachel

      ha! how awesome that those are her initials, i never noticed. thank you dave

  89. rachel

      ha! how awesome that those are her initials, i never noticed. thank you dave

  90. rachel

      ha! how awesome that those are her initials, i never noticed. thank you dave

  91. rachel

      also, having read the article, it occurrs to me that while the hoopla around sasha grey tends to depress me for spiritual/sparkly unicorn/whatever reasons, with her own agency she probably does have the potential to do some or even a lot of practical good for violence prevention. that in itself makes me more keen to see what she will do, and less bummed about the current silliness of her whole phenomena.

  92. rachel

      also, having read the article, it occurrs to me that while the hoopla around sasha grey tends to depress me for spiritual/sparkly unicorn/whatever reasons, with her own agency she probably does have the potential to do some or even a lot of practical good for violence prevention. that in itself makes me more keen to see what she will do, and less bummed about the current silliness of her whole phenomena.

  93. rachel

      also, having read the article, it occurrs to me that while the hoopla around sasha grey tends to depress me for spiritual/sparkly unicorn/whatever reasons, with her own agency she probably does have the potential to do some or even a lot of practical good for violence prevention. that in itself makes me more keen to see what she will do, and less bummed about the current silliness of her whole phenomena.

  94. Gundosdmh

      Aloha! bea

  95. Gundosdmh

      Aloha! bea

  96. Gundosdmh

      Aloha! bea

  97. Gundosbis

      Aloha! jga

  98. Gundosbis

      Aloha! jga

  99. Gundosbis

      Aloha! jga

  100. jereme

      you guys really need to separate the art from the artist here.

  101. jereme

      you guys really need to separate the art from the artist here.

  102. jereme

      you guys really need to separate the art from the artist here.

  103. Popizdavali

      =)))

  104. Popizdavali

      =)))

  105. Popizdavali

      =)))