Fans Pushes Billy Joel’s TV Special Back On Air

Billy Joel fans were left disappointed when CBS cut short the legendary musician’s TV special, which aired to mark his 100th performance at Madison Square Garden. Now, in response to widespread criticism, the network has announced plans to re-air the entire special.

The special was originally slated to run on Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT. However, CBS was forced to shave off some of Joel’s performance since the Masters golf competition went longer than scheduled. The event ended early as a result, with Joel’s well-known song “Piano Man” being cut short to accommodate local news reports.

Following the uproar from fans, CBS issued a statement apologizing for the mishap and acknowledging the timing error that led to the premature conclusion of the special. The network expressed regret to Joel, his fans, affiliated stations, and the audience whose viewing experience was disrupted.

“A network programming timing error ended last night’s Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central time zones,” reads the statement. “We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations and our audience whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song.”

CBS Responds to Fan Outcry

Due to overwhelming demand from fans, CBS has decided to re-air ‘Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden’ in its entirety. The special will be broadcast again at 9 p.m. EDT on April 19, allowing viewers to experience the full performance without interruptions.

Joel himself shared CBS’ statement on his social media platforms, indicating his appreciation for the network’s decision to rectify the situation.

The incident sparked frustration among fans who had eagerly anticipated watching Joel’s milestone performance. Many took to social media to express their disappointment, criticizing CBS for its handling of the special.

“You couldn’t produce a worse product than CBS just did on the Billy Joel special,” wrote one fan. “Way too many commercials, didn’t play some of his best songs, went extremely out of order in his set list and then cuts away to the local news in the middle of ‘Piano Man’?!? A total flop by CBS.”

Another angry viewer said, “After CBS making the Billy Joel televised concert late because of golf, the local news just cut off ‘PIANO MAN’!!!! I cannot even!!! You had three minutes. That’s it!! I sat through two hours and you cut off his signature song!”

Billy Joel is still well-known in the music business despite the setback. Joel is still touring and recording live even if he may not be putting out new records. His farewell performance at Madison Square Garden, which is set on July 25, has been a fan favorite during his extended residency.

Although the TV special mishap may have left fans disappointed, the upcoming re-airing offers a chance for viewers to fully enjoy Billy Joel’s historic performance at Madison Square Garden, uninterrupted and in its entirety.