Billy Joel concert glitch: CBS apologizes, will rebroadcast special Friday in its entirety
Billy Joel performs on CBS' "Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden." Credit: CBS / Michele Crowe
CBS has apologized to viewers for cutting short its Billy Joel concert special Sunday night, and says it will rebroadcast the show in its entirety Friday.
“A network-programming timing error ended last night's Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central Time Zones,” a network representative said in a statement Monday. “We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations, and our audience whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song. Due to the overwhelming demand from his legion of fans,” the special, “Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden,” will re-air Friday at 9 p.m.
Viewers had expressed outrage at CBS not only for cutting off the Hicksville-raised Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s signature number, “Piano Man,” during the finale in order to go to local news, but also for starting the special a half-hour late due to live sports overage.
“You cut off the song. You show the concert out of order, [and give] not all the songs. Too many commercials [and the show started] late [be]cause of golf,” read one typical comment on CBS’ Instagram. “I request a redo.” Wrote another person, “Way to go CBS. Billy Joel and the entire nation deserves an apology from you. Right now.”
“Lots of CBS stations on Eastern and Central Time got into this trouble,” tweeted Long Island born-and-raised Evan Closky, sports director of the network's Tampa Bay, Florida, affiliate WTSP-TV. “To my understanding, was a mistake by people higher than the local affiliates, sadly.”
One viewer tweeted that the concert, shot March 28 at Joel’s 100th monthly residency show at Madison Square Garden, “not only starts a half-hour late, but then you cut off the last 3-4 minutes [sic] for local news to start at 1130? … Absolutely pathetic decision making, on an event that's been advertised for MONTHS….” Another asked simply, “How do you cut a Billy Joel Concert in the Middle of Piano Man?!”
The concert special began late due to CBS Sports’ extended coverage of golf’s Masters Tournament. Cut off at marginally different points by various local stations, the broadcast generally ended around the lyric “and the microphone smells like a beer.”
Per the complete special on the streaming service Paramount+, the broadcast ended with 2 minutes and 2 seconds to go on the 01:28:50 recording. Much of the missing material is made up of end-credits as Joel stood and waved to the crowd. But also missing is a poignant passage in which the band completely stops playing, in order for the audience to sing the final chorus a cappella as one.
Media commentators likened the incident to 1968’s infamous “Heidi Game,” also called the “Heidi Bowl,” in which NBC cut short an Oakland Raiders-Jets matchup with about a minute to go in order to begin the new TV-movie “Heidi” on time. Unseen to East Coast viewers, the Raiders scored two touchdowns in the final seconds to secure a thrilling last-moment win.
CBS has apologized to viewers for cutting short its Billy Joel concert special Sunday night, and says it will rebroadcast the show in its entirety Friday.
“A network-programming timing error ended last night's Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central Time Zones,” a network representative said in a statement Monday. “We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations, and our audience whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song. Due to the overwhelming demand from his legion of fans,” the special, “Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden,” will re-air Friday at 9 p.m.
Viewers had expressed outrage at CBS not only for cutting off the Hicksville-raised Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s signature number, “Piano Man,” during the finale in order to go to local news, but also for starting the special a half-hour late due to live sports overage.
“You cut off the song. You show the concert out of order, [and give] not all the songs. Too many commercials [and the show started] late [be]cause of golf,” read one typical comment on CBS’ Instagram. “I request a redo.” Wrote another person, “Way to go CBS. Billy Joel and the entire nation deserves an apology from you. Right now.”
“Lots of CBS stations on Eastern and Central Time got into this trouble,” tweeted Long Island born-and-raised Evan Closky, sports director of the network's Tampa Bay, Florida, affiliate WTSP-TV. “To my understanding, was a mistake by people higher than the local affiliates, sadly.”
One viewer tweeted that the concert, shot March 28 at Joel’s 100th monthly residency show at Madison Square Garden, “not only starts a half-hour late, but then you cut off the last 3-4 minutes [sic] for local news to start at 1130? … Absolutely pathetic decision making, on an event that's been advertised for MONTHS….” Another asked simply, “How do you cut a Billy Joel Concert in the Middle of Piano Man?!”
The concert special began late due to CBS Sports’ extended coverage of golf’s Masters Tournament. Cut off at marginally different points by various local stations, the broadcast generally ended around the lyric “and the microphone smells like a beer.”
Per the complete special on the streaming service Paramount+, the broadcast ended with 2 minutes and 2 seconds to go on the 01:28:50 recording. Much of the missing material is made up of end-credits as Joel stood and waved to the crowd. But also missing is a poignant passage in which the band completely stops playing, in order for the audience to sing the final chorus a cappella as one.
Media commentators likened the incident to 1968’s infamous “Heidi Game,” also called the “Heidi Bowl,” in which NBC cut short an Oakland Raiders-Jets matchup with about a minute to go in order to begin the new TV-movie “Heidi” on time. Unseen to East Coast viewers, the Raiders scored two touchdowns in the final seconds to secure a thrilling last-moment win.
