For the Eagles' Glenn Frey, popular singing televised contests like 'American Idol' and 'X Factor' are nothing more than an opportunity for singing hopefuls to take the stage and oversing. He has a message for its contestants: Tone it down a bit.

"The nature of these shows is such is that they make everybody want to be big and big for the camera and big for the audience," Frey tells Hollywood Reporter. "You know, for myself I would just as soon somebody just stood there and sing the damn song."

Frey and the rest of the Eagles were in the midst of a news conference on Thursday (April 25) in London, where the topic was supposed to be the April 29 U.K. release on DVD of Alison Ellwood's documentary 'History of the Eagles Part One,' when they got sidetracked.

Fellow Eagles co-founder Don Henley couldn't help but add in his two cents, as well: "Yeah, they've turned it into 'Glee,'" in reference to the over-the-top high-school comedy TV program.

"It doesn't make it wrong by any means," Frey added, perhaps to be a bit more diplomatic. "But like I said, I do think it encourages people to overplay it."

Up next, Frey, Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit are set to begin a series of summer dates. Named after the film, the tour begins July 6 in Louisville, Ky. and continues through to a show in Bethel, N.Y. on July 25.

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