Out magazine has released their second annual "Power 50", their rankings of the 50 most powerful gays and lesbians in the country. It's pretty much a by-the-numbers list as far as those things go, but one name close to the top of the list is not like the others:

3. Anderson Cooper

This is nothing new, considering the mag tried to nudge (shove? bum-rush?) the foxy newsman out last year in the first annual list. (Last year's controversial issue also featured pics of Cooper and Jodie Foster - who appears on the list again this year - on the cover. Foster has notably inched out a smidge in the year since.)

Again the question of whether a publication called Out should be placing a public figure who is NOT "out" on a list of influential gays and lesbians, much less at #3. If an assumedly gay anchor shouts "fire" in a crowded theatre and no one knows that he's gay, is there still a fire? Or something like that?

Ellen DeGeneres takes the top spot, and it's hard to argue there. And Brothers & Sisters creator Greg Berlanti makes the list and rates a feature on the queer-inclusive shows he's gotten on the air.

Full list after the jump ... any thoughts?

• Michael Stipe presented at last week's MTV Europe Awards. Awards are so much more elegant over there, no?

• If you're near a computer tonight and curious as to what's going down at the Out 100 Awards, be sure to check in here on the blog, as I'll be Twittering live from the event! (That's sort of like liveblogging, only more bird-like ... and with pants.)

• Best Week Ever gets to the heart of why Chuck & Larry is so disappointing: it feels like it's being narrated by the 13-year-old kids sitting behind you ... and on DVD, that's really creepy.

• Big ups to Joe.My.God. for winning the 2007 Best LGBT Blog Weblog Award!

• Did Ellen cross a picket line at the writers' strike?

• Be sure to study up on all the latest in Michael's Best.Gay.Week.Ever. column, and have a great weekend!