Kevin James on Playing “Miami 2017” with Billy Joel

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Kevin Mazur/WireImageActor Kevin James and Billy Joel are both from Long Island, New York, and they’re pals: Kevin even appeared on stage with Billy twice last year. On Monday’s Live with Kelly, James told Kelly Ripa and her guest co-host Busy Phillips what the experience was like. 

In 2015, James appeared on stage with Billy the night he broke the record for the most shows ever performed at New York’s Madison Square Garden by a solo artist.

James also appeared on stage with Billy a few months later, when Billy played the final show before Long Island’s most famous concert venue, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 

James explained that at the Coliseum, he and Billy plotted to prank the audience by having the actor come out and play the intro to “Miami: 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” on piano — intentionally badly.

“That’s all I learned was the beginning, James explained. “I played it and played it, and I thought I was getting really good…I was rehearsing with him, and I said, ‘Look…I’m kind of wondering if I should play a little worse, so people don’t recognize it.” 

“And he said, ‘I don’t think you could.’ He literally said that without missing a beat. And I was like, ‘Oh, OK: We will go with what I have then. We’re good.” 

The former King of Queens star’s new sitcom, Kevin Can Wait, debuts on CBS Monday night at 8:30 p.m.    James previously said he hoped to get Billy to cameo on the series.

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