Glee creator Ryan Murphy has attacked Kings of Leon for publicly rejecting an offer to have their music in an episode of the hit series. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Murphy said that the band are "self-centered assholes" and that they "missed the big picture."

Photos: At Home With Kings of Leon

So what is the big picture? According to Murphy, the band are missing the opportunity to inspire kids to get involved with the arts. "A 7-year-old kid can see someone close to their age singing a Kings of Leon song, which will maybe make them want to join a glee club or pick up a musical instrument," Murphy explained. "It’s like, OK, hate on arts education. You can make fun of Glee all you want, but at its heart, what we really do is turn kids on to music.”

Photos: Kings of Leon's Family Album

Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill was contacted for response by the Hollywood Reporter and mostly seemed confused by Murphy's anger. "This whole Glee thing is a shock to us," he told THR. "At the time of the request, we hadn’t even seen the show. It came at the end of that record cycle, and we were over promoting [“Use Somebody”]."

Followill further clarified that his band did not intend to snub the show and its fans, much less disrespect anyone involved in music education.

Photos: Guns N' Roses: The Early Years

Murphy also responded to a recent attack on the show by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, who had also rejected a request to use his old band's music on Glee on the grounds that he — well, totally hates the show. "Usually I find that people who make those comments, their careers are over; they’re uneducated and quite stupid," Murphy said.

EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Hot Business of 'Glee' [Hollywood Reporter]

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