There is a review of Steven Soderbergh's new film "The Girlfriend Experience" in today's NY Times. The title of the film refers to a category or "brand" of callgirls/escorts who provide relationship and sex services that simulate being out on a date with a "girlfriend" (in contrast to just having sex). A.O. Scott, one of the Times better reviewers, provides some insight into the film but he points out that it may take some time for viewers to appreciate it. The review is available at:
http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/movies/22girl.html?8dpc I quote a passage in the review because of its potential relevance to what college professors, or at least some of us, might be doing with students: |Chelsea, which might not be her real name, has a live-in boyfriend |named Chris (Chris Santos), who works as a personal trainer, tending |to the bodies of some of the same kinds of guys who hire Chelsea for |her services. The similarities between them are established a little |too pointedly, but they are nonetheless thought provoking. Both Chris |and Chelsea belong to a sector of the economy that depends on the |blurring of certain distinctions, between service and friendship, say, |or profit and affection. Therapists, exercise instructors, nannies, manicurists, |bartenders - when you think about it, they are all paid for something |hat can easily be mistaken for love. Do college professors belong on that list? On a side note, the porn actress Sasha Grey plays Chelsea (aka Christine). I am unfamiliar with her but there is a Wikipedia entry on her. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasha_Grey I point this out only because some of the comments on the film by readers on the NY Times site mention that Ms. Grey's performance is somewhat dull and unrepresentative of high end escorts, and at least one person found having a porn actress portraying a high end escort insulting to the profession which prides itself on being personable, good conversationalists, knowledgeable, and whose relationships services, though not necessarily being of the "girlfriend" variety, provides "added value" to the sexual services. I wonder what ex-governor Elliot Spitzer sought in the way of relationship services when out on his trysts? I wonder how long it will be before college administrators starts making more demands on professor's "relationship services" (note that these are unrelated to sexual services) to the students. -Mike Palij New York University [email protected] P.S. Anyone remember Woody Allen's "Whore of Mensa"? --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
