CBS apologizes for Billy Joel concert interruption; plans to re-air
CBS has issued an apology following a scheduling error that led to the abrupt end of the Billy Joel concert special, leaving many viewers disappointed. The network stated that a "network programming timing error" caused the special to end two minutes early in the Eastern Time and Central Time Zones. This unexpected interruption occurred during the final verse of Piano Man when the broadcast suddenly switched to local news telecasts.
Why does this story matter?
Fifty years into his illustrious music career, Joel delivered an unforgettable performance to mark a monumental milestone—his 100th consecutive concert at the legendary Madison Square Garden. Since his debut at the iconic venue on December 14, 1978, at 74, Joel has remained a fixture on its stage, captivating audiences with his timeless hits. One of the world's best-selling music artists, Joel released 12 studio albums from 1971 to 1993.
Concert special delayed due to Masters golf tournament
The concert special, titled Billy Joel: The 100th: Live at Madison Square Garden, was initially scheduled to air at 9:00pm ET on Sunday. However, it was delayed by around 30 minutes due to CBS's coverage of the Masters golf tournament extending into primetime. The airing was further postponed by a CBS News special report that aired before the start of 60 Minutes.
Concert special celebrated Joel's 100th performance
The two-hour concert special was recorded in March. Despite the interruption during Piano Man, it wasn't the final song performed at the original concert. In fact, an encore of We Didn't Start the Fire, Uptown Girl, It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, and Big Shot followed. For the special, three of these final four songs were omitted, while It's Still Rock and Roll to Me was played before Piano Man.
Now, CBS will re-air the concert special
In response to the overwhelming demand from viewers, CBS has decided to re-broadcast the concert special on Friday at 9:00pm ET/PT (6:30 am IST). The network announced that Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden will be rebroadcast in its entirety. This decision comes after significant public dissatisfaction and negative feedback on X/Twitter following the unexpected interruption.
