Music

CBS Promises to Re-Air Billy Joel Special After Mid-Song Cutaway

SING US A SO—

The abruptly cut special will re-air on April 19.

Fans were upset that CBS had heavily promoted the Billy Joel special and then deprived them of the chance to see it through.
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Viewers erupted in anger on Sunday night after CBS abruptly cut their broadcast of Billy Joel’s 100th show at Madison Square Garden right in the middle of “Piano Man.” The broadcast was interrupted for none other than regularly scheduled local news—it apparently ran into the scheduled news slot after its starting time was delayed by Masters golf tournament coverage. Fans were upset that CBS had heavily promoted the Billy Joel special and then deprived them of the chance to see it through. “CBS has been promoting the Billy Joel concert special every two minutes for WEEKS. So what better way to air it than to preempt it for a half hour and the cut him off MID-PIANO MAN? C’mon guys,” one fan vented on X. But fear not—viewers will get a second chance to see “Piano Man,” hopefully all the way through. In an apology issued Monday, CBS said that, “due to the overwhelming demand from his legion of fans,” Billy Joel’s special would be “rebroadcast in its entirety” on April 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Read it at USA Today