Huge 70s/80s TV star shows up at famous NJ bagel joint

The Bagel Nook is the beloved bagel shop known for its outrageous flavors and over-the-top creations.

Erik Estrada is the actor who played Ponch on “CHiPs” and is known for his over-the-top swagger and bravado.

The two met in a perfect photo op moment.

Erik Estrada was in Freehold for a private signing and stopped in at The Bagel Nook in the Raintree Shopping Center while there. This guy is 76 years old and looks like he could still hop on a hog with Officer Jon Baker (Larry Wilcox) and patrol Los Angeles. Of course, The Nook posted a pic on Instagram.

The Bagel Nook is pretty much iconic among New Jersey bagel joints by this point. They have shops in several other towns but it was confirmed this celebrity sighting happened at the Freehold location.

No word on what the actor ordered. Let’s hope it was with cream cheese and not butter whatever it was. (Okay, see, us kids all wanted to be Officer Frank Poncherello when we were kids so I need Estrada to be a cream cheese guy since I’m a cream cheese guy.)

Some Erik Estrada fun facts:

Comedian George Lopez hates him. He has had an ongoing feud with him for years because Estrada wouldn't sign an autograph nor shake Lopez's hand when Lopez was a kid. Lopez met him while Estrada was filming an episode of "CHiPs" near Lopez's neighborhood. Since then, Lopez vowed to make Estrada pay.

Erik Estrada was a cop in real life, but after “CHiPs” was done. He was a reserve police officer in Muncie, Indiana from 2007-2010, and completed full training in 2007. This was seen on the television series Armed & Famous (2007).

He once broke Bill Maher’s nose. It was by accident though. It happened while the two were on the TV show “Pictionary.”

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

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