Billy Joel fans slam CBS for cutting singer off while he performed legendary ... trends now
Billy Joel fans were left furious with CBS after their broadcast of the legend's 100th consecutive Madison Square Garden concert was cut short to make way for local news.
To make matters worse, the 74-year-old was in the middle of his best-known song, Piano Man, when the transition was made.
The channel had understandably been giving their broadcast of the special performance the big build-up, but had already had to start showing it late after coverage of Scottie Scheffler's Masters win overran.
While seemingly not the case in all locations, viewers in eastern and central time zones also missed some of the end of the gig as Joel was about to go into the final verse of his iconic hit, according to X account @awefulannouncing.
They coined Joel's lyrics to say: 'Evidently, CBS was no longer in the mood for a melody.'
Billy Joel fans have slammed CBS for cutting off the legendary singer-songwriter during his most iconic song, Piano Man, at the end of their broadcast special of his 100th consecutive Madison Square Garden performance (pictured)
In many regions, the broadcast - recorded on March 28 - cut away to CBS' local news services, as Joel built up to the final verse of Piano Man
One fuming X user wrote: 'WTAF CBS! You cut off the end of the Billy Joel special in the middle of Effing PIANO MAN to start the frigging local news??? Sports games go long, all kinds of stuff goes long and you cut it off mid song IN THE FINALE??? WTH is wrong with you?! I have turned it OFF'
The broadcast was a recording of Joel's March 28 performance from MSG as he rounds off 'the greatest arena run of all time', which he announced was coming to an end last summer.
Fans who could not snap up a ticket for the show fumed as their chance to see Piano Man in its entirety passed them by.
They said on X: '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 then cut him off MID-PIANO MAN? C'mon guys...
'Okay, @CBS just INFURIATED me. I got home from practice and got to watch party of Billy Joel's 100th residence show at MSG... AND THEY CUT OFF "PIANO MAN"! Not with like 5 seconds or so to go, but before the final chorus. Just to start the news at 1130. I. Am. FURIOUS...
'WTAF CBS! You cut off the end of the Billy Joel special in the middle of Effing PIANO MAN to start the frigging local news??? Sports games go long, all kinds of stuff goes long and you cut it off mid song IN THE FINALE??? WTH is wrong with you?! I have turned it OFF...
'Still can’t believe CBS cut its own Billy Joel special at Madison Square Garden to the local news while Piano Man was being sung and played. I get the special was delayed because the Masters ended late but that has to be programmed better...
'WTF CBS you can’t cut out in the middle of Piano Man for a promo for the 11pm news. A horrible end to what was a
