DeGenerosity of Ellen

Ellen DeGeneres turns 48 today (it’s OK, she doesn’t mind the age thing) and, of course, will celebrate on today’s “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (10 a.m./Ch. 4). She welcomes “West Wing” star Allison Janney and Sherri Shepherd – both of whom, no doubt, will be absolutely thunderstruck by the “very special guest” who drops in to wish Ellen a happy birthday. Bill Clinton, Mariah Carey, Reese Witherspoon and many others also send in birthday greetings. Ellen will also give out gifts to the studio audience.

Over on the “Today” show, it’s not Al Roker’s birthday – but he is celebrating 10 years at the show, which will officially fete him tomorrow (7-9 a.m./Ch. 4).

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Controversy is good: “The Boondocks,” Aaron McGruder’s Cartoon Network series that caused a ruckus Jan. 15 by having Martin Luther King utter the “n” word, has been renewed for a second season of 20 episodes.

But is it worth this?: CNN has hired former U.S. Education Secretary Bill Bennett as a contributor – the same Bennett who said on his radio show last October that: “I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could . . . abort every black baby in this country and your crime rate would go down.”

Or this?: James Frey, author of “A Million Little Pieces,” makes his first appearance since parts of his best-selling “memoir” were called into question on today’s “Oprah” (4 p.m./Ch. 7). Oprah Winfrey showcased Frey’s book, turning it into a best-seller, and defended him on “Larry King Live.”

Last, but not least:

* She’s a publicist, but could be a soap character: Chandler Spaulding (NBC).

* Sunday: T. Rex producer Tony Visconti visits Ch. 21 (7 p.m.) to host a screening of “The T. Rex Ultimate Experience,” a rare in-concert film of the band from March 1972.

* Congrats to Carrie Simons, who’s leaving NBC to join BWR as senior director, corporate entertainment.

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* Yet another comedy set at Newsday? Rosie O’Donnell is reportedly working on a new sitcom where she plays – just like Ray Romano did in “Everybody Loves Raymond” – a columnist for the Long Island newspaper. No network yet. New York Post, Thursday, January 26, 2006 nypost.com