Those of you who’ve seen Steven Soderbergh’s “The Girlfriend Experience” will know a little bit about Sasha Grey, who plays the main character. Those of you who are porn enthusiasts will know a hell of a lot more, seeing as Grey has been in more than 160 porn flicks over the past three years.  From “Teenage Whores 3” to “Anal Cavity Search 6,” Sasha’s done it all. (Or at least most of it.)

But while Grey’s been a porn world bad ass for a while, starring in a Soderbergh film has, uh, exposed her to a more mainstream and art house audience. It’s also opened her up to a s**t storm of criticism for participating in what many consider to be an exploitative industry.

We all enjoy indulging in a guilty pleasure. It might be a drink after work, hitting the slot machines, or perhaps, if you feel Frisky-ish, renting a porn. But in tough economic times, the industries considered to be recession proof, like sex, gambling and alcohol, are feeling the pinch just like everyone else. People are cutting back on extravagant pleasures in life, like their porn habits, lap dances, and shots of tequila. Even Playboy has been hit hard by the recession—their stock is down by 80% in the past year, they’ve cut jobs, closed their New York office, and canceled their Super Bowl party. Private Media Group, a porn company based in Barcelona, Spain, saw revenue drop in the third quarter. Rick’s Cabaret International, a chain of high-end strip clubs, also saw a decrease in earnings. No wonder Hustler magazine publisher, Larry Flynt, asked the government for a $5 million bailout for the porn industry. Other “vice” industries are taking a hit as well. Gambling in Las Vegas was down more than 6% from last year. Alcohol consumption is still going strong, but people are switching to cheap brands of liquor as opposed to premium brands. I guess we have to find other cheap ways to entertain ourselves now. This video is a start! [MSN: Money Central]