CBS Sparks Outrage by Cutting Billy Joel’s 100th Residency Show Mid-Performance
CBS faced backlash after abruptly cutting off Billy Joel’s historic 100th residency show at Madison Square Garden during his iconic performance of “Piano Man” on Sunday evening.
The network had been celebrating Joel’s milestone achievement with a special broadcast titled “Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden,” which marked his record-setting run at the iconic venue since January 2014, set to conclude on July 25.
Viewers eagerly tuned in to catch the two-hour special, only to be met with frustration as the broadcast was delayed by 30 minutes due to coverage of the 2024 Masters Tournament, and subsequently interrupted for local news programming in the middle of Joel’s performance.
Disappointed fans took to social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), to express their outrage. Barstool Sports tweeted, “How do you cut a Billy Joel Concert in the Middle of Piano Man?!”
Many viewers criticized CBS for excessive commercial breaks, omitting some of Joel’s best-known songs, and disrupting the setlist order, culminating in the premature cutoff of “Piano Man.”
One upset fan lamented, “Just an absolute disaster by CBS tonight producing the Billy Joel concert. Ineptitude at its finest. Start it late and cut it off early. Just horrible.”
In an interview with USA TODAY, Billy Joel reflected on the significance of his 100th performance, which featured appearances by friends Jerry Seinfeld and Sting. He emphasized the unique aspect of having multiple cameras onstage for this milestone show.
Regarding his collaboration with Sting, Joel remarked, “I’ve known him quite a while, since he was in The Police. We became friends right away and I always admired his musicianship. We respect each other as musicians.”
Despite the setback, Joel remained resilient, expressing his willingness to embrace spontaneity and improvisation in his performances. He concluded, “I’m OK with making a mistake. A lot of the fun of it is in the spontaneity of the recovery.”
Billy Joel’s 100th residency special was cut short on CBS mid-performance of ‘Piano Man,’ much to the disappointment of viewers. https://t.co/3VCoGwlvGn
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) April 15, 2024