After winning four Olympic gold medals in London, Missy Franklin has secured a coveted “internship.’’

The 17-year-old swimming phenom from Colorado told Matt Lauer on TODAY Friday that she will make a cameo in the upcoming movie “The Internship,’’ starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. She will film the cameo in the next few months and the film is expected to be released next year, but Franklin's role remains top-secret.

“I am so excited about it,’’ she said. “You’re going to have to wait and see.’’

The five-time Olympic medalist began her senior year at Regis Jesuit High School last week, one day after making an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Another perk of her Olympic showing has been catching the attention of her favorite artist. Justin Bieber recently sent her a personalized care package.

“He notices you!’’ Franklin joked about her new-found fame. “He sent me a huge care package, which was so awesome. I walk home and my mom is so cute. She took everything out and set it out on the table, and I had T-shirts and CDs and posters and all that stuff.’’

Bieber is playing a concert in Denver in January, and Franklin is hoping to meet him in person.

“My friend actually bought me tickets for my birthday, so we’re going to go, and I think we might be able to get backstage passes hopefully,’’ she said.

In the midst of all the fun, Franklin is also mulling the serious issue of whether to turn professional. Throughout the Olympics, she professed a desire to remain an amateur so that she can compete in college, but still is weighing the decision now that lucrative sponsorship and endorsement offers have rolled in.

“Right now we’ve definitely talked about it a little bit,’’ Franklin said. “I think we still want to talk about it more. As of right now, we’ve had college coaches coming to the house, and I will be taking my visits in the fall, and we’ll go from there.’’

Franklin acknowledged concerns that deciding to go pro could look like she had gone back on her word.

“It’s hard,’’ she said. “I’ve definitely put it out there that I do want to swim in college. It’s something that I want to do, and I don’t want people to think that’s not how I feel any more because it is. I still think that I would want to swim in college. I’ve always wanted to do it, whether I’ve said something or not about it, so hopefully I get the chance.’’

One decision she has already made is to get the Olympic rings tattooed on her right hip, which she did last week.

“It’s the only tattoo I’m ever going to get,'' she said. "I kind of grew up going to meets where I was watching kind of all my big role models have that tattoo, so I’ve always wanted it so bad.''

In addition to her appearance on TODAY, Franklin, who is taking a month off from swimming post-Olympics, will participate in the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Saturday in Queens. She may be playing doubles with a celebrity partner and anticipates looking like a fish out of water.

“I’m apologizing right now to everyone that has to watch,’’ she joked.

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Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters

Kim Hyeon-woo, front right, gold medalist in the Men's 66Kg Greco-Roman wrestling, sports a black eye as he poses with other athletes upon the South Korean national team's arrival in Incheon, west of Seoul on August 14, 2012.

Paul Raats / EPA

An aerial view made with the help of an Octocopter, a remote controlled helicopter, shows a ceremony for the Dutch Olympic contestants on a medal-shaped stage at the Stationsplein in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, on August 13, 2012.

Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP - Getty Images

Japanese women's volleyball captain Erika Araki, left, and her teammates are welcomed by wellwishers upon their return from the London 2012 Olympic Games at Narita airport, outside Tokyo, on August 14, 2012.

Omar Sobhani / Reuters

Taekwondo bronze medalist Rohullah Nikpai waves to the crowd during a procession for his homecoming in Kabul , Afghanistan, on August 14, 2012. Hundreds of jubilant Afghans packed the national stadium to welcome the nation's second Olympic medal winner.

AFP - Getty Images

Qatar's Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, center, son of the Emir of Qatar (and not an Olympic competitor, despite the medal), welcomes Nasser al-Attiyah, right, bronze medalist in the skeet men's final, and Mutaz Essa Barshim, left, bronze winner in the men's high jump, upon their arrival in Doha, Qatar on August 13, 2012.

Alexander Nemenov / AFP - Getty Images

Members of the Russian Olympic national team show their medals upon their arrival at Sheremetyevo international airport in Moscow on August 13, 2012.

Paulo Whitaker / Reuters

Brazil's volleyball player Adenizia Silva poses for a photograph with a fan in Sao Paulo, Brazil on August 13, 2012. Brazil's women produced a dazzling comeback to win Olympic volleyball gold on Saturday, prompting a sneak preview of what life might be like in Rio de Janeiro in four years time.

EPA

Taoufik Makhloufi, left, who won the gold medal in the men's 1500m final, parades in a car upon his return to Algiers, Algeria, on August 13, 2012. Makhloufi is the only Algerian among the 39 participants in the London Olympics to win a medal.

Vanderlei Almeida / AFP - Getty Images

Rio de Janeiro's city mayor Eduardo Paes, left, and the president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee Carlos Arthur Nuzman, center, wave the Olympic flag upon arrival in Rio de Janeiro on August 13, 2012.

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Click for more of the best images from the 2012 summer games in London.

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Right on top of Ronnie Scott's, London's legendary jazz club, is Ronnie's Bar. You climb a dark set of stairs, and then the door opens to a well-kept secret: London's live Latin music scene.  Here, every Friday night, "Viva La Revolucion" celebrates  the Latin spirit.

Latin fever hasn't passed London by: Salsa classes have been popping up all over town in recent years, and throughout the city, Latin-American restaurants offer atmosphere as well as unique cuisine.

The Latin American expat community in London may not be as large as the ones in the U.S. or Spain, but it as vibrant. Touring Latin music bands often jam with the resident musicians at Ronnie's.  And since the United-States embargo on Cuba does not apply here,  Cuban musicians visit London frequently.

Yet it isn't only traditional Latin music: Just around the corner, at Floridita and Bar Salsa, Latin bands mix traditional music with contemporary reggaeton. For the London Latin community, these venues are a home away from home, but the sounds are there for us all to enjoy.

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Here at 30 Rock, we've been enjoying the Olympic Games, but also discussing some of the more eccentric Olympic sports. The other day as we were watching the trampoline events --which I’m sure is hard work-- it reminded me of being a child and jumping up and down on your bed, wishing it was a trampoline.

Thomas Coex / AFP - Getty Images

Gymnasts practice before the men's trampoline final of the artistic gymnastics event of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on August 3, 2012.

One of the picture editors watching it live thought it was particularly funny when the TV camera panned to the photographers covering the event and we saw bobbing heads going up and down, up and down, as they followed the athletes with their lens. Some sports are better in video than as still images.

Julie Jacobson / AP

Judges watch the trampoline performance of gold medallist Dong Dong of China at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, in London.

Another sport where a still photograph can make it look silly, is table tennis (don't call it Ping-Pong!).

Saeed Khan / AFP - Getty Images

Austria's Werner Schlager serves to China's Wang Hao in the table tennis men's singles round match at the Excel centre in London on July 30, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Maybe because the photographers like to get the ball right in front of the player's nose or eye.

Saeed Khan / AFP - Getty Images

Ding Ning of China returns the ball during the Women's singles final round table tennis match of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Excel centre in London on July 31, 2012.

Today we were watching synchronized swimming. It must be very difficult to do - requiring not only flexibility and strength, but the ability to hold your breath for a very long time.

Mark J. Terrill / AP

The team from China competes during the synchronized swimming team technical routine at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012.

But something about it is strange. The views from under the water are really interesting, so maybe it's the excessive make-up they wear?

Patrick B. Kraemer / EPA

First placed Russia's Natalia Ishchenko and Russia's Svetlana Romashina compete in the Synchronized Swimming Duet Free Routine final at the London 2012 Olympic Games, London, Britain, August 7, 2012.

Rhythmic gymnasts are incredible athletes, but also must be as graceful as a professional dancer.

Julian Finney / Getty Images

Julieta Cantaluppi of Italy performs with the hoop during the Rhythmic Gymnastics qualification on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at Wembley Arena on August 9, 2012 in London, England.

Still, it does look a bit peculiar. It feels like watching a circus performance or Cirque du Soleil, instead of an athletic competition.

Julian Finney / Getty Images

Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs with the ball during the Rhythmic Gymnastics qualification on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at Wembley Arena on August 9, 2012 in London, England.

What do you think the strangest olympic sport is? Take the poll or add your comments below.

• View more photos of the Olympics on PhotoBlog
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• Slideshow: Synchronized Beauty

Swimmer Ryan Lochte is going home with five Olympic medals, but it's what he left behind in the pool in London that has made some joking headlines as the Olympics wind down.

Lochte was in the spotlight a week ago when he admitted to TODAY special correspondent Ryan Seacrest that he occasionally pees in the pool. Then came a "Funny or Die" parody video where he took the peeing theme to hilarious heights.

Lochte jokingly reiterated his stance in an interview with Matt Lauer on TODAY Friday. 

“I mean, sometimes you just gotta go,” he said.

British prime minister David Cameron was not amused once he heard how Lochte was using London’s Olympic pool. “I was surprised to hear that,” he told Britain's Metro newspaper. “It’s not OK to pee in the pool.”
 
 Lochte has certainly stood by his right to relieve himself in the water. When comedian Will Ferrell called and asked him to make a “Funny or Die” video on the subject, he jumped at the opportunity. In the video Lochte says, “The way I see it, the pool is the biggest, most expensive toilet and it’s all mine. That’s the only time I allow myself to pee. Animals, they mark their territory. I pee in the pool. That’s my territory.”
 
Luckily for the pools of the world, Lochte isn’t going anywhere near one for at least a little while after a whirlwind Olympic experience.
 
“I’m definitely going to take some time off," he told Lauer. "It's been four years of every day in the pool. I think it’s time for me to take at least a couple weeks.”

Lochte isn’t worried that the come-down after the Olympics will lead to a crash. He has already said that he plans on making a run at a spot in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when he will be 32 years old.
 
“The Olympics is great," he said. "But for me, I treat every meet, every swim meet that I go to, the exact same. It just has a different name to it. And you know what? I love racing. And I want to keep doing it for another four years.”
 

While the world waits to see him in Rio in 2016, he'll be keeping busy on dry land. He already is entertaining multiple reality TV offers, and he has plans to move to Los Angeles, which he said has been a big goal of his for a long time. He told Lauer he hopes it will help him get into fashion.

“That is my passion,” he said. “When swimming is all said and done I definitely want to get into fashion and design my own clothing line.”

Read more:

Agent: Ryan Lochte fielding multiple reality TV offers

Ryan Lochte: I'd like to do 'Dancing with the Stars'

Ryan Lochte: 'I'm going another four years to Rio"

Phelps rival writes his own London headline: 'Ryan Lochte takes over'

It was deja vu all over again for goalie Hope Solo and her teammates from the U.S. women's soccer team on Friday when they appeared on TODAY the morning after a gold medal victory, just as they had four years ago in Beijing. But this time their smiles were fueled only by the euphoria of victory.

That was in contrast to the morning after they beat Brazil in Beijing, when, according to what Solo admitted to ESPN the Magazine, she and some other players were still tipsy from the previous evening's revels when they appeared on TODAY.

On Friday, Matt Lauer asked Solo if he would also be reading about this interview after the fact, but she assured him that the perma-grins on their faces were all natural.

“We are well-hydrated this morning,’’ she joked.

On Thursday Solo was part of an all-around sterling effort in front of 80,203 fans at Wembley Stadium that resulted in a 2-1 win over Japan for the team's third gold medal in the last three Olympics. She made several acrobatic saves, including stopping a 2-on-1 breakaway by smacking away a point-blank shot with both hands in the 83rd minute to preserve a thrilling win.

“I think my heart was in my throat as well,’’ Solo said. “You train so hard as a goalkeeper, you train day in and day out to make those saves, and then you never know if you’re going to have your moment. You never know when the game is going to ask you to make that save, so I had to make it in one game this tournament, in the final game in the 83rd minute.’’

Solo had powerful emotions about the game, but she was able to rein them in to focus.

"I actually was crying on the back of the bus going to the game,'' Solo told Savannah Guthrie in a later segment on TODAY Friday. "(I was) crying for the gratitude I have for this kind of opportunity to fulfill my dreams.''

She also shook off a flare-up earlier in the games when she made headlines after tweeting some critical comments about NBC commentator and former U.S. soccer team member Brandi Chastain.

"There's always controversy,'' Solo told Guthrie. "I think a lot of things are made out to be more than they really are or what is necessary. I have opinions about commentary and other things as well. Everybody can have an opinion.''

In addition to Solo, midfielder Carli Lloyd was another hero as she scored both goals against Japan, four years after she scored the winning goal in overtime to beat Brazil.

“I was counting down the minutes from 70 on,’’ Lloyd said about the pressure-packed game. “I think it’s all in the mind, so whatever you visually prepare comes true.’’

“I think that more than anything, this was just a complete team win,’’ forward Abby Wambach said. “Carli, she comes on, plays a lot of minutes in this tournament - every single player from the first to the last. I just can’t be more proud of this group of people.’’

Now that the Americans have made it three in a row, the focus turns to 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. A backbone of the team throughout its remarkable run in the last 12 years has been veteran defender Christie Rampone. Her teammates jokingly bowed to her on TODAY before making their bid to get her to return for another four years. A mother of two from Point Pleasant, N.J., Rampone, 37, did not rule out the possibility of Rio.

“They keep trying to convince me,’’ Rampone said amid chants of “Four more years!” by her teammates. “I do have it in me, but we’ll see.’’

Read more:

Hope Solo admits to being 'drunk' on TODAY after Beijing win

Slideshow: Gaze at pictures of 17 Olympic hotties

Tearful Lolo Jones: Media 'ripped me to shreds' before race

TODAY's complete London Olympic coverage

After Lolo Jones tearfully claimed on TODAY Wednesday that she was “ripped to shreds” in a recent New York Times piece, the Times’ public editor called the story “too harsh’’ in an article on Thursday.

Public editor Arthur S. Brisbane, who is the “readers’ representative” at the Times, wrote on Thursday that “in this particular case, I think the writer was particularly harsh, even unnecessarily so.’’ The piece on Aug. 3 by staff writer Jere Longman, “For Lolo Jones at the Olympics, Everything is Image,’’ argued that Jones is more sex appeal and media hype than substance.

In the story, Longman quotes the director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies comparing Jones to former tennis professional Anna Kournikova, who was known more for her good looks than anything she did on the court.

“This piece struck me as quite harsh and left me, along with others, wondering why the tone was so strong,’’ Brisbane wrote.

After finishing a disappointing fourth in the 100-meter hurdles on Tuesday, Jones addressed the Times story on TODAY Wednesday.

“I think it was crazy just because it was two days before I competed, and then the fact that it was from a U.S. media,’’ Jones told Savannah Guthrie before fighting back tears. “They should be supporting our U.S. Olympic athletes and instead they just ripped me to shreds. I just thought that that was crazy because I worked six days a week, every day, for four years for a 12-second race and the fact that they just tore me apart, which is heartbreaking.

“They didn’t even do their research, calling me the Anna Kournikova of track. I have the American record. I am the American record holder indoors, I have two world indoor titles. Just because I don’t boast about these things, I don’t think I should be ripped apart by media. I laid it out there, fought hard for my country and it’s just a shame that I have to deal with so much backlash when I’m already so brokenhearted as it is.”

Since the article appeared in the “In the Rings’’ section of the Times’ Olympic coverage, it was intended as an opinion piece and not a straight news story, according to Brisbane.

“One person’s harsh is another person’s tough minded,’’ the Times’ sports editor told Brisbane. “(Longman), while acknowledging Jones’s accomplishment and qualities of perseverance and candor, thinks this female athlete fell short.’’

Read More:

Tearful Lolo Jones: Media 'ripped me to shreds' before race
Lolo Jones on virginity talk: 'Maybe I should zip it' 
NBC Olympics: Harper, Wells take veiled shots at Lolo Jones  Lolo Jones: 'When will I meet man of my dreams?'
Lolo Jones is staying a virgin until marriage 
Lolo Jones' post-workout shake

Emmanuel Dunand / AFP - Getty Images

Gabby Douglas, here on the podium on Aug. 2, is fielding offers to write a book.

She's the darling of Olympic gymnastics with her bright smile and gold medal. Now, Gabby Douglas has become a sought-after target for book publishers.

The 16-year-old, the first African-American woman to ever win the gold in the Olympic all-around competition, is currently fielding numerous book offers, according to her agent, Sheryl Shade.

“I have about five solid offers and at least 12 inquiries in total,’’ Shade told TODAY.com on Thursday. “I just haven’t had a chance to speak with them all. I think within the next week she will agree to do one.’’

People

Gabby's People magazine cover.

Shade has represented several gymnasts who have starred in the Olympics over the years, including special TODAY.com correspondent Shawn Johnson, who won gold in 2008 in Beijing. Shade has also worked with Shannon Miller, Paul Hamm and Dominique Moceanu, securing high-profile deals for a host of gymnasts.  

Douglas has already secured an appearance on a special-edition Kellogg's Corn Flakes box and is featured on the cover of the latest issue of People magazine. She signed a deal with Procter & Gamble before the Olympics, and an Aug. 3 report by Forbes estimated Douglas will earn, at a minimum, between $2-3 million annually in endorsements over the next two years. 

Douglas' potential book may focus on her faith. Three of the publishers who have approached Shade are from Christian imprints.

“They are asking for an inspirational autobiography,’’ Shade said. “You’re 16 years old — you can’t have a big autobiography. Gabby is driven by quotes and inspirational passages that people send to her.’’

“I would love to put out a book," Douglas told TODAY.com. "My mom and I want to let people know about us and how we overcame hard times.” 

She said she’d even like to cover her balance-beam fall at the 2011 Visa Championships, which she described as “horrific."

"I fell a thousand times. I want people to see that you can overcome,” she said. "I would tell my life story and make it not just about gymnastics.” 

Nicknamed the “Flying Squirrel,’’ Douglas has broad appeal for the youth market with her story of hard work, sacrifice and achievement at such a young age.

Douglas says the biggest challenge will be those first few words. “Where do I start? Does my mom start, do I start?" she said. "She will be part of the process.” 

More: Missy Franklin: Amateur status 'still the plan right now' 
Gabby Douglas' gold worth millions in endorsement deals 
Gabby Douglas' mom weighs in on hair controversy 
Read all of TODAY.com's Olympics coverage here! 
Gabby Douglas: Gold medals are made of 'sweat, blood and tears' 
Video: Olympic gymnasts take celebratory London tour

Borough Market is probably London's most famous food market, but I recently discovered Maltby Street Market just down the road. As an American chef and food writer who has lived in London for the past three years, I'm always on the hunt for the best places to buy ingredients for my clients. Often I'll drag my husband, NBC News producer Ghazi Balkiz, away from his busy schedule to accompany my on my latest culinary excursions. Whether you're a chef or just appreciate fine food, Maltby Street Market, with its fresh produce, unusual culinary products, and fabulous restaurants makes for a terrific day out!  

I love London because there is always a surprise right around the next corner, and Maltby was one of those fantastic discoveries for me.  Not happy to continue paying a premium for space at Borough Market, several vendors decided to open their own little bazaar and keep prices reasonable for their regular customers. Now it's coming into its own, and on Saturday mornings Londoners flock to this little-known haven tucked between public housing high rises and car repair shops.  

You can learn more about Maltby Street Market and the other culinary joys I encounter on a daily basis here on my blog, An American Chef in London.

Related:
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Yesterday, restrooms; today, hip London clubs
London's colorful Wapping: Lift a pint where pirates roamed
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