Here are the celebrity rest stops we urgently need to see in NJ

Whitney Houston has a rest stop named after her in Union on the Garden State Parkway. So does Jon Bon Jovi, in South Amboy.

These celebrity-named service areas have been going on for a few years now in a cooperative effort between the NJ Turnpike Authority (which oversees both the pike and the GSP) and the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Just last week it was announced that actor Bruce Willis will be honored with a service area. The actor grew up in Carney’s Point and attended Penns Grove High School there.

He’s always seemed like a solid guy, comes from a humble blue-collar working family, and with his heartbreaking medical setback it’s the least we as a state could do.

But if you really want to have more people stop by our restaurant areas, I have suggestions for even more Jersey celebrities who deserve the honor.

The Paul Rudd Service Area

Paul Rudd turns 55 just days from now. The star of “Wet Hot American Summer” and “I Love You Man” seems to never age. In fact, he was named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2021.

Give him a rest stop with a gold-colored water cooler somewhere near the entrance. Put a plaque over it proclaiming it to be “The Paul Rudd Fountain of Youth.” I guarantee people will wait in line to drink from it.

The Jack Nicholson Service Area

From his “Easy Rider” days to “As Good As It Gets” the venerable actor is one of America’s greatest.

I can see a rest stop with a special motorcycle parking area and all the restroom doors would have a hole with an axe coming through them. Perhaps a sign on the entrance door saying WE SELL CRAZY HERE, AND WE’RE ALL STOCKED UP!

The Shaquille O’Neal Service Area

There’s a hoop over every garbage can so you don’t throw it away. You free throw it away. From behind a line. Fifteen feet away. Since the Newark native is 7 feet 1 inch tall, all urinals would be placed almost on the floor to give you the fleeting of what it would be like to be Shaq-tall.

The John Travolta Service Area

It would be a must at this service plaza that you’d have to have a McDonald’s inside and it would be the only McDonald’s in the country where the quarter pounder was called the Royale with cheese.

Also, for those who remember his movie “Face Off,” there would be a hologram system in the bathrooms so that when you approached a sink either John Travolta’s face or Nicholas Cage’s face would appear instead of your own.

The Danny DeVito Service Area

There would have to be a Jersey Mike’s here. And a South Jersey map on the wall with Philadelphia highlighted with “It’s always sunny here.” And in the men’s room, like Shaq in reverse, all the urinals would be placed problematically high off the ground.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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