A technical timing error infuriated viewers on Sunday, when the final two minutes of Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden were cut from the broadcast. The mishap resulted in those in Eastern and Central time zones being robbed of the final verse of Joel’s hit Piano Man, the finale of the show. The broadcast itself was pushed back from its scheduled 9 pm air time for the east coast as a result of the network’s coverage of the Masters golf tournament running long. CBS has since rushed to apologize for the technical error, and has revealed it will be re-airing the special on Friday in an attempt to make it up to viewers.
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“A network programming timing error ended last night’s Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central Time Zones,” CBS’s Vice President of Communications Julie Holland said in a statement. “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, Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden will be rebroadcast in its entirety on CBS on April 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.”
