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Ignoring for a moment that someone in the Gawker Media ad sales department is currently rolling around in the pile of ensanguined Showtime cash they were paid to spatter some blood on Mr. Defamer's face (apparently, he got a little roughed up during Peter Krause's guest stint), we note an even gorier campaign the network is using to raise awareness of Dexter: Over at Hollywood and Highland today, Showtime is dumping a bunch of red dye into the mall's fountain, hoping that tourists don't mistake the innocent promotion of their company's signature color with some kind of disturbing attempt to turn the font into some kind of burbling cauldron in which the lovable serial killer boils his deserving victims down to their bones.

If your kids don't sleep for months because they're seeing something that's not there, blame their crazy little imaginations, says a defensive marketing exec:

"We're not out there to frighten people," said George DeBolt, vp media and promotions at Showtime. "Red is an important color for the network. It's our corporate color. Whatever people take away from this is what they take away, but we're using the color red so that it's noticed.

"'Dexter' is not a horror series," he added. "It's a series about a serial killer who happens to be in forensic police work. There is blood in the show, but we're not doing this to convey the notion of blood or horror because that would be off strategy with how we promote the show."

According to a press release, the Hollywood and Highland stunt runs through 7 p.m., but we recommend you hurry over there before the bloody-apron-clad Showtime street team handing out sets of kitchen knives—for cooking, not the flaying of your human quarry, you incorrigible psychopaths!—runs out of their limited cutlery supplies. But if you miss today's promotion, we're sure they'll stage an equally edgy event for another one of their shows shortly, just as soon as they can work out the logistical issues involved in setting up a waterbed at the Beverly Center upon which David Duchovny can "californicate" with a succession of women with low self esteem.