Randall, far right, with Playboy editorial director Chris Napolitano

Editorial mastermind or reclusive voyeur? Longtime Playboy deputy editor Stephen Randall might be both. That would explain his gawking interest in L.A.'s self-proclaimed media celebrities, and his refusal to do anything social at night. Why would he? Everything he wants to see is available at home.

But here's the mastermind part: He's just doing research for the magazine.

Never one to oversell himself, we agree that Steve is pretty "room temperature" — if the room you're in happens to be a hot one! Below, in his own words, Randall takes us to school.

The last thing I do before I go to bed at night is read the next day's New York Times (using their new Times Reader, which is far better than the Web site and almost as good as print. It's very Zinio-like, but better), the New York Post (not a very good Web site, but it has Keith Kelly), Slate, and Salon.

First thing in the morning, it's LA Observed (if I could only get one Web site, I'd chose that one), Huffington Post (not for the dreadful blogs, just for the headlines) and Drudge (when Drudge and HuffPo agree on a story, I know I should be paying attention). Then CNN, MSNBC and Romenesko.

I have a sad weakness for gossip sites, which I blame on my job (how else am I going to find out that Fergie got engaged?). Jossip is actually the best of them, but Gawker is close behind. Defamer is too clever by half. Deadline Hollywood Daily, Fishbowl LA and Movies.com are in the mix, too. My other terrible weakness: reality TV. So Reality Blurred, too.

I also read blogs written by my friends -- it's a way of feeling in touch without those time-wasting lunches, dinners, and phone conversations. I'm current enjoying Peter Moore's, Shashank in Africa, Daniel Radosh, Overeducated and Underemployed, and the Playboy Blog (I'm not rooting for the home team here -- it's amazing how much I learn about my fellow editors from their blog postings that I wouldn't know otherwise. Trust me, not all of it is pretty.)

Not pretty, for sure. But certainly hot.

*Usually, we ask for the top 10 Web sites the subject of this interview reads, but, ironically, the editor of Playboy's 20 Questions couldn't keep it down to less than ... 20!