Billy Joel fans tuning into CBS for "The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden" were left disappointed when the network abruptly cut away to local news during the final chorus of "Piano Man.” While CBS blamed the late start time, caused by the overrun of the 2024 Masters Tournament, for the premature ending, angry viewers took to social media to air their grievance. "Are you kidding me @CBS ???...You can't be serious with this!!!” said one commenter, while another said, 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."
CBS ended up apologizing for the error, stating on X, “A network programming timing error ended last night's Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the eastern and central time zones. We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations, and our audience whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song.” The network also says they’ll re-air the full concert on April 19th. Despite the mishap, Joel's performance at Madison Square Garden holds special significance for him, with the venue being a cherished childhood memory. The concert special, announced during the Super Bowl and filmed on March 28th, is available for streaming on Paramount+ until the re-broadcast.