I’m really excited to see this movie, The Girlfriend Experience, Directed by Steven Soderbergh (you know, Sex Lies and Videotape? Oceans 11? 12? 13? Erin Brockovich?). I ran across this trailer on Kimbery Kane’s blog this morning, which I read all the time because she’s rad. 

What excites me the most is that a talented porn actress, Sasha Grey, is the star. Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s intelligent and edgy, a glorious combo. I don’t think she’s a Jew, although, I could be wrong. You can’t have it all, folks. You just can’t. 

This young woman is fascinating, as she’s incredibly kinky (I think the first thing I saw her in was a behind the scenes video where she peed into a cup and drank it)- but quickly made the crossover- posing in full-frontal American Apparel ads like this one: 

And hanging with rockers, actors and the likes (although, that’s not so unique for ladies in porn). 

Personally I’m thrilled when lines between porn and mainstream blur. Shorbus, an amazing movie by John Cameron Mitchell (who did one of my all time favorite movies, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) blurred those lines in 2006 with an erotic and intruiging plot winding through scenes of real sex. And this isn’t just movies, I was watching a terrible HBO show last year, In Treatment, and there was a pretty hot sex scene between two characters- and all of a sudden, there they were! Balls! Actual balls! I shot up in my seat and paused (thank god for DVR) to watch it again. No, not because I’m that into balls (I think we’ve covered the fact that I’m just not in previous posts), but because I couldn’t believe that there they were, balls flapping in the wind during a sex scene. I honestly had to watch it three times to convince myself that they weren’t actually having sex. 

And why did I do that? Well, because we’re all a little bit obsessed with sex. Don’t lie, don’t shrug your shoulders like you’re not. Like you didn’t love those steamy L Word scenes- or the sex in the back of the car in Say Anything. You’re lying to yourself. 

But for a long time there has been a true divide between what’s okay for mainstream movies and TV (and their performers), and what’s okay for porn. And I’m happy to see those lines crossing. Sad thing is, I may not be alone, but I think I might be in the minority. There are so many people raging across middle American about the smutification of television and movies, music lyrics and videos- all claiming that this is what’s responsible for our children being raging maniacs who bust into school and shoot up their classmates and teachers. 

I beg to differ. I adamently claim the opposite- repression, humiliation and shame tear us up inside (must I remind you about all those molested little boys? Was it porn stars molesting them? No, rather Catholic priests). I think a little more honesty and freedom of expression goes a long way. 

Jesus, how did I get from Sasha Grey to this hippie shit. 

You know what I’m saying. 

Scene. 

picture from www.madmoizelle.com