Having weathered the “Puppy-gate” media storm and an ill-perceived crossing of the writers’ strike picket line, DeGeneres and her daytime show remain perennially popular. Her most recently reported salary of $15 million put her in 15th place on Forbes magazine’s 2007 list of the top 20 TV stars—above Barbara Walters and Matt Lauer. Last October she dipped her toes into the 2008 presidential campaign by inviting Hillary Clinton and then Barack Obama on her show. In February she dropped in on a Clinton campaign event for a spirited back-and-forth via live satellite. (Previously 3rd)