Billy Joel Breaks Silence on Televised Mishap of Madison Square Garden Concert

Besides writing numerous iconic songs throughout his time in the spotlight, Billy Joel dominated the entire industry as he won several Grammy awards and gained entry into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He even received the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American Culture. While enjoying the legacy he created on stage and entertaining fans over the decades, Joel isn’t the biggest fan when it comes to performing for television. And given his recent mishap during the Billy Joel: The 100th Live at Madison Square Garden — The Greatest Arena Run of All Time broadcast on CBS, the icon isn’t holding back about his thoughts about the performance. 

For any fan of Joel, they tuned in just a few months ago to watch Joel live in concert. The special, produced by CBS, promised a spectacular evening with Joel as the singer looking to perform several hit songs from his catalog. And there seemed no better way to end the concert than with the famous song “Piano Man.” The only problem – the broadcast accidentally ended before Joel could finish. Although CBS reaired the broadcast and apologized, the damage caused a firestorm of backlash from fans. 

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Bill Joel Reveals What Is Important To Television

When discussing the mishap with Variety, Joel didn’t seem too surprised about the mistake. “I wasn’t surprised. I’ve never been really happy with the way music is presented on television. I think for TV people, it’s really all about the visual. If you’re looking at a television set, you’ll see a big screen and a little tiny speaker and that should tell you enough about where their priorities are.”  

Having spent more than enough years in the entertainment industry, Joel grew to dislike televised performances, adding, “They have a hard time getting the audio right, and they also don’t really know how to present new music. I wasn’t surprised that it got cut off short because I’ve always kind of been cut short by TV.” 

While not sharing a love for television, Joel is a master of the stage. Since his first show at Madison Square Garden back in 1978, the star sold out every single show at the venue. 

(Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for ABA)