It was not the Iran-Contra hearings, but today's hearing on the proposed Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger (held by the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights) did not disappoint. I missed the first 50 minutes of the webcast and, unfortunately, the government does not quickly archive such things. But what I saw and heard was enlightening and entertaining.

Live Nation downplayed its dominance while smaller competitors warned of allowing a powerful company to become even more powerful. Ticketmaster Entertainment's Irving Azoff could not answer some simple questions and was unable to elude pointed questions through the sort of vague, slippery lexicon used skillfully by today's executives. Rapino held up better. Overall, though, Azoff and Rapino seemed cowed and sometimes confused by their questioners while other witnesses -- all critics of the merger -- spoke with passion and purpose.

Here are some recaps for you two peruse:

• The Wall Street Journal's Deal Book liveblogged the webcast and has as close to a transcription as we'll get. "3:21: Azoff goes for the nuclear option. 'This business is not as healthy as you think….I might be home thinking about how many people we have to fire and how many accounts we have to cut.'"
• Chicago Sun-Times.
• Reuters.