On Sunday, April 14, CBS aired Billy Joel’s first broadcast-network concert special, The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run of All Time. As its title suggested, the two-hour show featured footage from the 100th concert Joel played during his long-running monthly residency at the famed New York City arena Madison Square Garden.
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Unfortunately for many fans, the special was cut off and viewers were returned to local programming as Joel was playing the final song of the show, his classic “Piano Man.” The apparent reason for the interruption was that CBS had aired of The Masters golf tournament earlier that day, and coverage of the event ran 30 minutes long, resulting in the start of the special being delayed about a half hour.
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Not surprisingly, fans were upset about the special being cut off during its finale. Many viewers took to the CBS Instagram account to express their annoyance in the comments section.
Fans React to Billy Joel Special Being Cut Short
“Billy’s voice sounded impeccable! He is amazing for 74 years old!” one fan wrote. “Still annoyed CBS screwed up the most anticipated song of the night.”
As second commented, “Way to go CBS. Billy Joel and the entire nation deserves an apology from you. Right now.”
A third fan griped, “So how about repeating the concert when it isn’t following a sporting event? You have made a whole lot of people very very angry tonight!!!! FIX THIS.”
Interestingly, the fan reactions were posted in the comments section of an Instagram message from CBS that featured an edited clip of Joel’s singing “Piano Man” and asked fans to “Drop a [note] to thank the Piano Man!”
More About The 100th Special, Including How to Watch It On Demand
The special featured highlights from Joel’s March 28, 2024, concert at Madison Square Garden. The show featured guest appearance by comedian Jerry Seinfeld and ex-Police frontman Sting. Joel’s set included many of biggest hits and best-loved songs, as well as a performance of his new tune “Turn the Lights Back On.”
Fans who missed the end of the special will be able to watch it on demand at CBS.com, and the show also is available to subscribers of the Paramount+ streaming service.
Joel’s Upcoming 2024 Tour Plans
Joel’s next concert will take place April 26 at Madison Square Garden. It’s one of the last four shows that the Piano Man will play as part of his monthly residency at the venue, which ends on July 25.
Joel’s 2024 itinerary also includes three joint concerts with Sting, as well as one with Stevie Nicks and one with Rod Stewart. He also has headlining shows scheduled in Seattle, Denver, the Los Angeles area, and Cardiff, U.K. Check out Joel’s full schedule at BillyJoel.com.
Tickets for Joel’s concerts can be purchased now via a variety of outlets, including StubHub.
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