Kate Hudson gets an erotic bathroom workout

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

Longtime pole-dancing aficionado Kate Hudson has had a stripper pole installed in her bathroom, a source told Us Weekly.

“She’s so proud of it,” said the insider. “She was laughing and giddy like a kid when the thing was installed! She holds on with both her arms and flips her legs into the air. It’s kind of amazing and totally sexy.”

Sexy enough to keep on-again, off-again boyfriend Owen Wilson around?

Hudson did spend the afternoon of Feb. 7 at Wilson’s Malibu estate. But aerobic striptease has its risks. Hudson suffered two pole dancing-related injuries in 2006 — a pulled muscle in her leg and a friction burn on her arm — while gyrating for then-husband Chris Robinson.

'Pretty Woman's' comeback
Julia Roberts’ comeback tour kicked off this week with a splashy photo and story on the cover of the New York Times’ arts section Feb. 10. “Duplicity,” in which she stars opposite Clive Owen is her first leading role since 2001.

Since there’s so much riding on the success of the film, some industry insiders wondered whether Roberts was at least in the running for the cover of the March issue of Vogue, which ultimately went to First Lady Michelle Obama.

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No competition there, according to reps for Roberts and Vogue. Even though the photo shoot with the First Lady came together just before the magazine went to press, the Vogue rep pointed out that the magazine “has a long history of photographing the First Lady,” and the shoot was long in the works.

Whereas most celebs, especially those with a major film release, might have gunned for a Vogue cover, Roberts didn’t — it was the Obamas' moment.

As to why Obama earned the cover, not just an interior feature, (the last First Lady to be featured on the cover was Hillary Clinton), the rep for Vogue said, “this was an historic moment in our nation’s history.

John Mayer's commitment phobia
A traumatic heartbreak at the age of 16 may explain John Mayer's failure to commit to Jennifer Aniston — his latest battle in a lifelong struggle against philandering.

Friends tell In Touch that Mayer never recovered from being dumped by his first girlfriend, a pretty brunette named Allison McCarthy with whom he spent a year studying in Japan.

“He was crazy about Allison,” a childhood pal said. “When she broke up with him, he cried his eyes out.”

At least his current girlfriend is aware she's dealing with damaged goods. “I get people coming up to me like, ‘Why are you dating another womanizer?’” Aniston told In Touch.

You’ve got a memoir
Songwriting legend Carole King has another writing project underway — her own memoirs.

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“I keep saying 2014 is when I’ll finish them,” King said. “And I’ve been saying that since 2000, so it’s taking a while.”

Part of the reason for the delay: King not only helped campaign for President Barack Obama, but has also been working hard to get the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act passed in congress.

“Politics has been taking up so much of my time," she said. "As soon as things slow down I’ll be able to really focus on (the book).”

Courtney Hazlett delivers the Scoop Monday through Friday on msnbc.com.

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