Millions of Billy Joel fans eagerly tuned in to CBS Sunday night to watch the iconic singer’s 100th concert at Madison Square Garden. Fans were excited to see Joel perform some of his most beloved songs and relive the magic of his 2024 performance. However, viewers were left disappointed and angry when the special started late and was cut off prematurely.
Joel’s fans took to social media to express their frustration at the delayed broadcast. The delay was caused by the Masters golf tournament running longer than expected. Many fans waited patiently for the special to start, but when it finally did, they were met with another disappointment.
As Joel performed his hit single “Piano Man,” the broadcast suddenly cut to black, leaving viewers staring at an empty screen. Some viewers on the East Coast had the worst experience, as they were left with an awkward silence before the local news anchors appeared on the screen to talk about the upcoming Trump trial. This unexpected change in programming left viewers confused and upset.
Some fans expressed their disappointment on social media, with one user writing, “I know there’s serious, terrible stuff going on in the world. And at home many of us struggle to pay bills. Which is precisely why we’re so pissed off about Billy Joel being cut off, and during the song containing the lyric ‘to forget about life for a while’, to boot.”
Another user called out the local CBS station for cutting the special short, saying, “WKRC- Channel 12 cut off Billy Joel: The 100th-Live at MSG for the local news at 11:30. @billyjoel was singing “Piano Man.” Who did this, @Local12? I hope@CBS knows you did this. Absolutely CLASSLESS.”
Even TV journalists weighed in on the controversy, with one anchor apologizing to angry viewers on Twitter. “To everyone blowing up the @CBS58 phones — CBS national cut out of the Billy Joel concert 45-seconds early, IT WASN’T US I SWEAR. We would never do that to the Piano Man,” Bill Walsh wrote.
Fans were not the only ones upset by the delayed and cut-off broadcast. One of the local news anchors who appeared on the screen unexpectedly, Rex Smith, addressed fans’ disappointment with a touch of humor.
“I apologize to the people who were enjoying Billy Joel singing on TV then all of a sudden had to see my face. I’d have picked Billy Joel over me, too. I’m not even the Rex Smith who is the famous singer/actor ☹️,” he wrote.
Despite the disappointment, there is a silver lining for fans who missed out on the full experience. The special can still be streamed online, allowing viewers to watch the entire concert without interruptions.
Billy Joel fans may have been disappointed by the delayed and shortened broadcast, but the singer’s music and performances continue to connect with audiences. As one fan eloquently put it, “CBS just screwed the end of the Bill Joel live show. Cutting to commercial then the news during the end of Piano Man.” Despite the obstacles, Joel’s music prevails and brings joy to fans around the world.
