TODAY

Special correspondent Ryan Seacrest has taken over TODAY's Facebook page, revealing a behind-the-scenes look from London. Below are fans' questions he answered. 

Floetta Sanders: What events have you enjoyed the most? And just a note: I think Willie nelson would make a cool judge on “American Idol.”
Ryan: Without a doubt, Usain Bolt has been one of my fav stories here in London. His speed is incredible, and I love "The Bolt." It's an indelible image of this Olympics. And Willie is a legend!

Amy Kraft Cieslak: I know Matt must secretly own a Snuggy. Let's see him wearing it!
Ryan: It was pretty warm here in London the last two weeks, so no Snuggy sightings. But Matt was sporting some snazzy white bucks today, without socks! 

Deb Lamb: What Olympic athlete has really impressed you in a huge way??
Ryan: All of the Olympic athletes are so impressive -- that goes without saying. A few in particular: Gabby Douglas stands out given her age and accomplishments; Michael Phelps for his tenacity and contributions to the sport of swimming; and the women’s soccer team for their relentless pursuit of gold. 

Monica McAfee Burnett: Hey Ryan! I hope you had a great time in London! Will you continue to be a special correspondent for TODAY in the future? You are doing a great job!!!
Ryan: Thanks, Monica! I am having a great time hanging out with the TODAY gang. and, yes, my work as a special correspondent will continue after the Olympics. 

Mary Moon: How can I get a job like yours?
Ryan: Visit your local radio or TV station and figure out how to be an intern. There is no better way to learn the business than in a job where you do everything – and interns really do everything. It’s a lot of work, but hard work pays off.

C Susan Shields: Great job! What is the most exciting sport did you enjoy in London?
Ryan: I'm fascinated by synchronized swimming. These women are amazing athletes.

Dolores Ozuna Cruz: Are you going to stay for the closing ceremony? Post pictures!
Ryan: Yes! I've been asked to co-host the closing ceremony with Bob Costas and Al Michaels, two sportscasting ICONS. I'm humbled to join them for such a big night. Should be fun and I definitely will take pics. 

Christina Koran Johnson: I just wanted to say you are doing a phenomenal job on TODAY! I am very impressed with your interview and journalism skills! Would love to see you on TODAY more!
Ryan: Thanks for the kind words. 

Tasahia Toland: What's in the jar [in the photo above]?
Ryan: Just some mixed nuts. :) 

Andrea Montalbano: What was the weirdest thing that happened to you while in London???
Ryan: The broadcasting team from India thought I was a basketball player. Seriously

Vanessa Sanchez McCullough: OK, Ryan! Take a pic of you and [Olympics executive producer] Jim Bell! My question is where do you find the time to do as much as you do? Especially during the "American Idol" season. You seem to juggle 100 different projects without getting burned out. What is your secret, Seacrest?
Ryan: Bell is pretty hard to pin down at the broadcast center, but I will try to grab a shot. And sure my schedule can be tough, but I have a lot of terrific people on my team who help make it all doable. I also believe in having a little fun too -- that makes the hard work worth it. 

Cindy Rowe Zelbst: No questions. I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed you on the Olympics, and I can't wait for the closing ceremony. TODAY needs you as a contributor more often!!!
Ryan: That's so nice. Thanks. 

Lisa Sharrai O'Neil: Who pays for the Olympics? Where does the money come from to pay the winners? Who makes the medals?
Ryan: NBC and other networks around the world pay to broadcast the Olympics, so a lot of the money comes from there. Other money comes from the host country and sponsors like Coca-Cola. For the London Games, the medals were made in Pontyclun, Wales, by a company called The Royal Mint. More than 800 workers made over 4,700 medals! 

Jennifer Fisher Harris: While waiting for their Olympic events, how much time do the athletes spend training and conditioning without wearing themselves out for the games? And what activities or accommodations do they have available within the Olympic Village?
Ryan; Athletes are given a lot of privacy at the Olympic Village so they can be comfortable and relaxed prior to competition. There is limited media access so they won't be bothered or distracted. That said, a lot of the athletes told me the food is pretty good.

More on TODAY.com: 
Ryan Seacrest shows his 'flexibility' with US gymnasts
Seacrest: If Kim Kardashian was an Olympian, she'd play...
TODAY tries Olympic racewalking (and things get awkward) 

Shawn Johnson has a message to Olympians who get the urge to jump on social media: Be careful.

The London Olympics are being called the first ‘social media Games,’ where more fans than ever before will flock to Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere to follow the action.

Johnson, TODAY.com’s special correspondent and 2008 gymnastics gold medalist, warned against athletes getting too wrapped up in social media at the expense of their primary focus. Johnson has 189,000 Twitter followers, so she is well aware of the impact it can make.

“I think it can (be a distraction) if they allow it,’’ Johnson told Al Roker on TODAY in London Friday. “I think they need to almost censor it themselves. There’s going to be a lot of critics, a lot of opinions, a lot of competitors on social media that are going to say and do what they want, and if they read that, it can get to them, but it can also connect the world.’’

The dangers of social media for athletes during the Games came into focus this week when a Greek triple-jumper was removed from the team when a tweet about African immigrants was deemed racist. Voula Papachristou was dismissed by the Hellenic Olympic Committee, which announced that she was placed “outside the Olympic team for statements contrary to the values and ideas of the Olympic movement.’’

After winning three medals in Beijing in 2008, including a gold in the balance beam, Johnson, 20, is adjusting to life on the other side of the spectacle as a member of the media. She retired in June, three weeks before the Olympic trials, because of a nagging knee injury she suffered while skiing.

“It’s a little bittersweet,’’ she said. “I would give anything to be on the team, but coming up a little short and having to retire was the best decision to me. Now getting to interview athletes and have fun with it, it’s going to be interesting.’’

She plans on taking in Friday’s Opening Ceremony as a spectator, four years after she entered as part of the American team in Beijing.

“It’s going to be weird,’’ she said. “I would love to be walking through it. I’ll probably get a little emotional even, but it’s going to be cool seeing my teammates walk through, and I’m very proud of them.’’

More:

Shawn Johnson: 'Going to London is bittersweet' 
Gold star: Medalist Shawn Johnson joins TODAY.com Olympic team 
Follow Shawn on Twitter 
Shawn Johnson on her new book, 'Winning Balance' 
London eyes: Behind the scenes with TODAY staffers

Boris Streubel / Bongarts/Getty Images

Ariane Friedrich of Germany celebrates after winning the women's high jump during the IAAF World Challenge ISTAF 2010 at the Olympic Stadium on August 22, 2010 in Berlin, Germany.

MAINZ, Germany – Ariane Friedrich, a 28-year-old German high-jumper currently training for the 2012 London Games, is taking on more than one Olympic-size challenge: she is also publicly challenging an alleged stalker. The athlete from Frankfurt says that she recently received an email with a sexually explicit photo from a stalker.

In what some see as a controversial move, she chose to out the stalker on Facebook –- posting his full name, excerpts from the email he sent her and his hometown.

“It’s time to act, it’s time to defend myself. And that’s what I’m doing. No more and no less,” Friedrich wrote on her Facebook page on Saturday. 

In Germany, where strict online data protection laws exist, Friedrich's decision to “name and shame” her alleged stalker is receiving broad attention and has triggered a heated debate about the moral and legal implications of the online allegations. 

Fears of a Web mob
Friedrich, who is not just an athlete, but also a police officer, also filed a legal complaint against her offender, according to German media reports.

While the move has triggered lots of positive responses from her fans on her Facebook page, with posts calling her “courageous,” there was also growing criticism.

“As much as I can understand your anger about the stalker, you as a police officer should not just pillory somebody on the Internet,” one person wrote on Friedrich’s Facebook page. 

Gero Breloer / AP

Germany's Ariane Friedrich reacts in the women's high jump final during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in this August 2009 file photo.

“The reaction of Mrs. Friedrich is of course understandable, but she reacted too fast,” Dr. Thilo Weichert, a data privacy law expert in Kiel, Germany, told NBC News.
 
”It needs to be checked first, if the named person is really the correct one. Anybody can use a wrong name on Facebook,” Weichert said.

On Monday, many of the critical Facebook posts referenced a recent incident in which the equivalent of a lynch mob turned against a 17-year-old in the northern German city of Emden after police had arrested him for questioning in the murder of an 11-year-old girl.

The teen was later declared innocent and released, but the social media storm led to a gathering of an angry crowd in front of the police station. Afterward the boy and his family felt so harassed that they moved to an undisclosed location.

Don’t need the distraction
Friedrich’s coaches aren’t exactly welcoming the move. On Saturday, Guenter Eisinger, her coach and manager, tried to downplay the incident, saying he is concerned that the growing media attention will negatively affect her preparations for the Summer Games.

“The issue has nothing to do with the public,” Eisinger told German news agency dpa on Saturday. “We can do without any stress factors.”