Alex Barker

Because this industry has outsized influence, truly enormous, over our culture, over the way my kids learn about sex, over almost 8% of all internet traffic.

We spent months roving around.

We interviewed bankers, porn stars, bankers who became porn stars, even a New York billionaire who helped change the industry with one text message.

This is The Kink Machine, the hidden business of adult entertainment.

an audiobook about power and finance from Pushkin Industries and the Financial Times.

This is Jessica.

You might know her from her stage name, Stoya.

We wanted to talk to Stoya because she's been there for all the big changes that we're interested in.

Stoya's won the equivalent of an adult Oscar.

She's been a headline star and a bit of an alternative porn icon.

She's written a book, run literary book clubs, and her columns have appeared in the New York Times and Slate.

Her fans all over the world have bought thousands of sex toys moulded on her vagina.

This is my first proper interview with a porn star.

I wasn't exactly in my comfort zone.

So I started with a softball question just to warm things up.

Can you tell me a bit about, you know, where you grew up and school, family?

That's absolutely fine.

I didn't realize that.

So I wouldn't have asked if I had.

Absolutely.