Interviewer: Timothy Snarr
Date of Interview: 1/13/2008
Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. High as a kite (in the metaphorical sense) on the heels of my Tera Patrick interview, I was given the chance to interview the inimitable Sasha Grey. ‘Great,' I thought. ‘First it was Jana, then Faith, then Tera, and now Sasha. This whole interview thing is really starting to take off.' Then I was informed that the now 19-year-old bourgeoning adult star would only answer questions via e-mail. That was when I knew my job just got a little bit more difficult.
Previously, I had done a couple of interview sessions via e-mail to disappointing results. One of them in particular was a complete mockery of the interview process with a Q to A ratio of about 99:1. I guess you could say that, in those cases where complete answers were missing, my ‘Qs' were done in by ‘A' holes.
The lack of mouth-to-receiver-to-ear contact affords little control in the interview. It's much like driving a car with no steering wheel. You are atSasha Grey the complete mercy of the interviewee. There is no foolproof way to gauge tone, inflection, or emotion in regards to a question. It becomes difficult to know which questions to pursue and which topics to leave well enough alone. There are rare opportunities to follow up on questions unless you are pretty sure a topic will be well received. Heck, one doesn't even know if the star will even bother to send anything back at all. With the holidays in full swing, that was a real possibility. After several weeks, Sasha returned my questions. What follows here is Sasha's unedited responses to those questions.
Though I didn't know exactly what she would write, much of what is here is what I expected. Most of her responses were strong, well-thought out opinions from a bright, young woman. There was a hint of rebelliousness and a smattering of defiance to them, black and white responses full of conviction that betray her stage name, Grey. They hinted at a girl that has the world in her palms of her hands, but is squeezing it just a little bit too hard. What I didn't expect were some curt replies that felt like direct attacks on my line of queries, as if I weren't qualified to ask such things. It was as if to say, "How dare you?" One gets the feeling, at times, that Sasha would automatically take the opposing viewpoint just for the sake of discussion. Of course, she would most likely disagree with that statement.
Timothy Snarr: In March, I believe, it will be two years since you entered the adult industry. You've had a lot of early success in your career working with John Stagliano, Rocco Siffredi, and Belladonna right from the get-go to name a few. How do you feel you've handled your success as a whole? What keeps you humble?
Sasha Grey: I realize that my success comes from hard work, not from making this a job, per se. I prepare for bumps in the road, I think about tomorrow, next month, next year, the next five years, and so on. I don't let my pseudo fame or name value in this business get to my head - you're only as good as the last thing you've done. That's how I look at my career.
There are many things, people, songs, films, etc that keep me humble.
Involving myself in other endeavors such as music, film, literature, art...definitely create a strong balance.
TS: Belladonna specifically made a large impression on you (pun unintended).
What was it about her performances that struck a chord?
SG: Belladonna is the type of performer that you can actually call a porn star. She is always energetic and enthusiastic in her scenes. You can watch her and get off because you know she is having a good time. She never looks bored; she never phones it in.
TS: Having grown up in a lower-middle class area of Sacramento, you've said that you didn't want to be a negative product of that environment. How has your career had a positive impact on your world and how has porn challenged you to avoid becoming a negative product of your environment?
SG: The porn industry is sometimes like my neighborhood. There is avid drug use, self-destruction, and loathing. It is easy for most people to fall into certain lifestyles or traps. For me, I look at it as a pool of opportunities, whereas most people look at it as a job, or a stint, if you will. It has also taught me a lot about myself as an adult, and as a woman. You have to deal with a lot of bullshit. You have to pick your battles. As a young woman, I've also learned to speak my mind and say things I may not have had the courage to say if this wasn't my present career choice. You see so many girls manipulated, even on a small scale, and I refuse to be one of them. If you want to be successful in this business, you must be very independent and optimistic - that's one thing they don't instill where I grew up. I don't think porn has challenged me to avoid being a negative product of my environment - I have. To steer away, you must be aware of the negativity that surrounds you, and have attainable goals to overcome the stereotypes.
TS: Whenever one enters a new industry or takes on new challenges, the possibilities at first seem limitless. Have you encountered any personal or professional limitations where at first you didn't perceive there to be any? What are those limitations? What have you learned about your own sexuality and about your sexual boundaries in the short time you have been in the porn industry?
SG: What? Like slapping my tits or fingering me? I don't like cuts just as much as I don't like bitches that hate pussy.
TS: Many times you've described your young career as 'sex-positive'. Could you explain exactly what you mean by that term?
SG: How hard is it to interpret? Yes, I get a lot of shit from people because they view porn (and my YOUNG career) as degrading, or un-safe.
In laymen's terms: Don't be ashamed of your sexual desires, and always be safe! Human sexuality should be neither stigmatic nor dogmatic, educate yourself!
TS: Despite being sex-positive as you say, your work tends to be on the extreme side. You have quite often equated your extreme nature and your edginess in your films with innovation. Is it necessary to be extreme to be innovative in porn?
SG: First off, what is up with the double standard? Why can't a woman want to be degraded or submissive without looking like a victim? Should we all turn our lights off and have sex missionary style to be considered sex-positive? Perceptions like these are what cause divorces, rape, and insecurities in our world. One must expand their mind to see the bigger picture. As George Clinton says, "Free your mind and your ass will follow."
Can you find me that article or quote? I don't believe you have to be "edgy" (which is a term I despise by the way) to make innovative porn.
If you look at interviews I've done, whenever people ask, "What would you do in your movies if you directed them?" I always say something along the lines of: a great cast, and great design/production. I've never said, "Bitch has to do double anal, and Bitch #2 has be choked, cry, creamed on so I can make some innovative shit." People that think like that are always two steps behind, and end up making cookie cutter porn.
TS: You've advocated the sexual empowerment of women. How does subjugation and extreme sex accomplish that?
SG: I have also never said, "You must follow what I do to be a sexually empowered woman." That would be a contradiction if I believed or advocated this. The extreme sex that I like may not be someone else's cup of tea - I've also advocated that. Throw away the double standard of men being cool and women being whores due to their keen interest in sex. Sexual empowerment should convey the idea of being free to make your own choices, being PROUD, and confident in what you choose to do sexually. We can't let the discrimination stop us from having a healthy sex life just because we have pussies. If you don't have a sexual identity, you will just be another conformist to religious and social ideals on sexuality.
TS: One of your driving mechanisms has been to make porn better by making better porn. While that is admirable, you have also done a lot of gonzo porn, which many long-time industry people feel has ruined the industry with its amateurish qualities and the fact that anyone with a camera and a little knowledge of the Internet can capitalize on it. It seems the two ideals don't coalesce very well. How would you defend against your critics on this point?
Sasha GreySG: This is an issue that I am slowly changing. No one can enter a business at the top (although there are exceptions) and expect to do everything at once. Change takes time. I have yet to direct my own movie, which will be the presentation of my statements. On the other hand, if you watch my scenes you see that I put all of my energy into what I do. I prepare for all of my scenes to try and make each better than the last.
Even though this is the case, as you said, many amateur companies could give two shits what kind of commitment I have to my career and myself.
This is also a good time to tell people out there who don't know: I do not create the scenes I do! Although I try and have as much influence as I can, I don't come up with the scenarios, the positions, the wardrobe, etc (with a few exceptions). At the beginning I was willing to be a commodity, now I am transitioning into becoming MY commodity.
TS: Speaking of better porn, a couple weeks back, I spoke with Tera Patrick about her company Teravision. You recently appeared in the Teravision movie Broken directed by Dave Navarro. How did that all come together?
How was it to work with Tera? Dave? How closely do your character's struggles in Broken mirror your own struggles?
SG: You may want to ask Tera how it all came together, or their producer for that matter. On another note, I did speak with their producer, Sancho, for two weeks or so about the project, and he was very open to my suggestions. Have you watched Broken? Or at least read the description?
It was a character I was playing.
TS: Dave Navarro has said that porn is the only art form out there anymore that is "exciting, shocking and taboo." On the other hand, Tera Patrick and others have been working hard to bring more awareness of porn to the mainstream. These seem like competing ideals. How can the industry maintain its taboo and its shocking qualities if it becomes entirely mainstream and widely accepted?
SG: First we dealt with black people in films, and then curse words, and then gays. I believe John Waters said that penetration is the next groundbreaking thing that will happen to film. If we combine the two, we will have both elements-although there would be a side to the genre that wouldn't. That's the nature of mainstream.
TS: You also recently did a photo shoot with photographer Richard Kern. How cool was that experience?
SG: Richard Kern was awesome, pretty much what I expected him to be- it was very easygoing and laid back. He and Vice were very accommodating, collaborative and professional, a hit or miss in this business.
TS: Aside from your body of work, you have also been praised for your high intellect. How important is that to you and have you found that being so cerebral has hurt your career in any way so far?
SG: Well I dunno, ya know, being quirky and bubbly is good because it gets you places - like nowhere! Of course my intellect is important to me; it allows me to make smart decisions rather than taking shit as it comes to me. I don't think it has hurt me in any major ways; there will always be people that love me and hate me (as well as any celebrities or pseudo celebrities).
TS: As proof of your smarts, you've made no bones about your desire to shake up the status quo within the industry. Systemized health care and unionization are two components to your porn 'platform'. What specifically would you change about the health care system for stars such as yourself? How would unionizing the industry help the industry as a whole? How might it damage the industry?
SG: Mandating condoms. Making health insurance readily available.
It would help keep careers intact, and it would hopefully keep out people that are looking for a quick dollar. Honestly to ask a question like this is like asking someone to give a presidential debate. There are so many pros and cons. I won't lie, this is an issue I haven't had much time to commit to, and I won't for some time. I don't have the leverage in this business yet to put this plan into a successful outcome. Getting the word out there and getting people interested is the first step.
TS: I took the time to watch your appearance on the Tyra Banks show back in February of this year. After watching it, I would agree with you that the picture Tyra painted of you is a forgery. You had to know in the back of your mind what you were in for. Was P.R. your main motive for going on the show?
SG: Obviously it was for PR, I've stated that multiple times.
TS: You've mentioned filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard as an influence. He said essentially that editing equates to lies. You've been candid about some of the editing that occurred during the filming of Tyra's show. Would you elaborate on some of the rebuttals that were conveniently left out of the final cut of the show?
SG: Honestly, I'm sick of talking about something so banal that happened quite sometime ago. People can go to my myspace and read my blog in the archives section.
TS: Tyra felt the need to dispense advice during your appearance on her show. During your appearance on The Insider, Dr. 90210 also felt the need to editorialize about your life. Aside from the fact that you are still just 19 years old, why do you think others feel the need to tell you how you should live your life? Is it an innate response from someone older to someone younger or is it more complicated in your opinion?
SG: It's television tabloids number one! A judgmental figure allows the collective conscious of the viewers to side with them. They pretty much tell you how to feel, like protagonists in dramatic structures. I am the antagonist - the world needs people like me to hate, judge, and feel sorry for. It's all ratings. Sleazy (from Throbbing Gristle/Coil) said something in the context of...I live a life most people wouldn't dare to live; yet they fantasize it. In their cases, it was definitely innate. In fact, the way you asked the question was condescending as well. I've realized that it's quite difficult for people to accept that a 19-year-old young woman can be so positive and strong about her sexuality and her career in the sex industry. A lot of these people have just found, or have yet to find, their sexuality and don't want to accept that I make cognitive decisions, and/or that I have a real plan with my life in and out of the adult industry. At my age, most people are in college, and working normal jobs. Most people equate age to life experience. Like they say, it's not the years it's the mileage. How will we ever learn about ourselves as individual human beings if we stop ourselves from exploring? When you ask a question like this you must already know the answer!
TS: What is next on the docket for you?
SG: Taking over the world.
Extra Credit:Sasha Grey
TS: I'm fascinated with how porn stars get their names. You've stated that you took the name Sasha from Sascha Konietzko of the industrial band KMFDM and the name Grey from Dr. Alfred Kinsey's grey scale of sexuality. Is there really no pity for the majority and where do you fall between 0-6 in Kinsey's scale?
SG: That's for you to determine.
SG: I'd say I'm a two.
TS: Many times you have been misquoted in regards to a comment you made about existentialism. The basic tenet of that philosophy states that there is no pre-ordained meaning in life. We all create our own meaning to help rise above human suffering. If you are, in fact, an existentialist, and if, by your extreme performances, you create suffering for yourself, doesn't that go against the grain of existentialist philosophy?
SG: I don't believe that's the basic tenet; in fact I don't believe there is one at all, that's why it's so fascinating. What one considers suffering, I could consider pleasure. The statement on human suffering means much more than someone's sex life.
TS: Milk enemas:
a) Don't try this at home. We are professionals.
b) I recommend that everyone give it a shot.
SG: Option c) Rootbeer float
Lotta Continua,
Sasha Grey
