DUBLIN, Ohio (10TV) - A Dublin woman is once again making headlines with her annual pumpkin display.
Jeanette Paras has been "pumpkinizing" for 31 years. She paints pop culture onto massive pumpkins, choosing new characters each year.
"By looking at who is the hot topic of conversation at the time, during pumpkin season," Paras said.
This year, she created Rudy Giuliani and The Joker. Her "RudyKin" weighs 277 pounds and was grown by Southern Ohio Giant Pumpkin Growers (SOGPG) member Ron Rahe of Cincinnati. The Joker pumpkin comes in at 108 pounds and was grown by Scott Kulpa of Galena.
"For good reasons or bad, Rudy Giuliani has found himself in the news lately and The Joker is enjoying tremendous success at the box office," she said. "As I always say, I don't make the news, I pumpkinize it!"
For Paras, everyone is fair game. She refers to her display as a "nonpartisan porch," featuring people like Oprah, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, and her famous "Trumpkin." Her giant celebrity pumpkins range anywhere from 200 to 400 pounds - her largest coming in at 1,200 pounds!
"I crack myself up. I think it's hilarious. I have a lot of fun with it," Paras said.
Her pumpkins have received national and international attention. People anticipate what she will make each year, but it is "top secret."
Paras said in addition to celebrating Halloween, she wants to bring awareness to breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Next to her pumpkin display, you'll find a pink ribbon. She is a two-time breast cancer thriver.
"I painted that 'Trumpkin' three weeks after a nine-hour breast cancer surgery. It was my second bout with breast cancer," she said. "It's very important for women to stay on top of their health, get scheduled mammograms, do self-breast checks."
To learn more about Paras Pumpkins, click here.