Billy Joel cracking jokes about getting old, cremated after brain disorder diagnosis, Tribeca doc director shares
When the lights went up on Broadway for the world premiere of the documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” — at New York’s Beacon Theatre for the opening night of the Tribeca Festival — the hometown hero was not in the house.As exclusively revealed to The Post last week, the 76-year-old music legend sat out his big night after revealing that he was diagnosed with a brain disorder called normal pressure hydrocephalus.But the “New York State of Mind” crooner still received plenty of local love from Tribeca Festival co-founders Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro as the 24th edition of the festival that started in 2002 kicked off with the first half of Joel’s two-part documentary before it premieres on HBO and HBO Max later this summer.De Niro, 81, called Joel “the poet laureate of New York,” while Rosenthal, 68, addressed the music man’s ongoing health battle.“Billy wanted to be with us tonight, but as you may have heard, he’s dealing with a health issue and had to postpone his performances, including this one tonight.We know you will join us in wishing him a speedy recovery,” Rosenthal said after the pair quoted lyrics from Joel’s “New York State of Mind.”“He’s our piano man, a wonderful, integral part of the heartbeat of our city,” De Niro told the crowd.
“Tonight, we fit to see the man behind the music and behind the legend.You’re in for a real treat.” Directors Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin also spoke about Joel in the wake of his absence, revealing a joke about death that the singer told them.“We know Billy wishes he were here tonight, and he asked us to convey that to you all.
In fact, he said, ‘Getting old sucks, but it’s preferable to getting cremated,'” one of them recalled before assuring the crowd, “He will be back.”“And So It Goes” features rare, previously unseen footage and candid, intimate interviews while charting the five-time Grammy winner’s rise from Long Island to international pop sta...