American Idol Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks joins Try That In A Small Town to unpack how Hurricane Katrina accidentally sent him to the Vegas auditions, what Simon Cowell really thought at first, and the strategy he used to “play the game” and win Idol at its peak.

Taylor breaks down crazy behind-the-scenes Idol stories, the early days of 360 deals, going from a 60-cap bar to Southeast Asia arenas in six months, writing and singing the Paul Finebaum Show theme, and grinding through 576 Broadway shows in a 40-foot ice cream cone as Teen Angel in Grease. He also teases his new single “The Mirror,” cut at Sun Records with Memphis horns and a southern rock vibe.

Plus: a hilarious “DipShidiots” segment on airport bathrooms, oversized carry-ons, public sneezers and more.

Key Timestamps:

00:00 Taylor’s wild Hurricane Katrina-to-Idol audition story

11:45 Simon Cowell’s early rejection and later apology

23:00 Inside Idol strategy, 360-style deals and media “game play”

27:30 From small bar gigs to arenas and Southeast Asia

41:28 Broadway in Grease and life inside a 40-foot ice cream cone

55:30 New single “The Mirror” and current touring life

59:00 “DipShidiots” segment: pet peeves and airport stories

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