Who said it had to do with being cheap? Besides hammonds. It's disgraceful regardless. And it's not the first time we've heard things like this. But it might be the first time someone has actually gone on record, which immediately lends some weight to all the prior accounts.
Um does it need to be anyone else besides Hammonds? He bangs the drum enough for everyone.
For the record, I was not excusing the behavior, just clarifying the adjective.