See who's up, who's down, who exploded, and who fizzled in our annual list of the most influential gays and lesbians in America.

"Power tires only those who do not have it," according to onetime Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti. We beg to differ. We are fascinated by power, how people get it, wield it, and lose it. To create our second list, we restricted our candidates to those who are gay and living and working primarily in North America—sorry again, Elton. The rankings were determined by scoring each candidate on these criteria: (1) political clout; (2) pop-cultural resonance; (3) individual wealth; and (4) current personal profile.

We rescored the 2007 list based on the events of the past year, moving those folks up or down—or off the list entirely. Lest you think we took our task lightly, the calculus for the seemingly mercurial changes involved some serious debating: e.g., while Ellen's puppy palaver didn't even dent her popularity, Rosie's score dropped significantly when she stepped down as The View's lightning rod.

It can't be everyone's year. We know we'll hear from readers about who absolutely, positively, should have made the list. (Seriously, thanks, but Madonna still doesn't qualify.) We'll just think of them as the first nominations for the 2009 edition.

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Plus, read additional coverage from our Power 50 package:

+ Being Berlanti: The small screen’s most influential writer and producer is adjusting your television set—three shows at a time. By Bill Keith.

+ Shattered Glass: While some celebrities have come out, others are still hiding. But who's really to blame? By Michael Musto.

+ The Checkwriters: Three insider players who make a movement possible. By Shana Naomi Krochmal.

+ The Boys of Buzznet: Are gay Internet celebrities the second coming of cool -- or is buzz just another word for white noise? An Out.com exclusive by Japhy Grant.