Jan Kasoff, who worked as a cameraman for Saturday Night Live for 36 years, has been traveling the university lecture circuit to tell students his behind-the-scenes stories. Last night, students flocked to Knight Hall to listen to Kasoff talk about his fast-paced job.

Over the course of 36 years, Jan Kasoff watched Saturday Night Live unfold every week from behind the camera, witnessing the show’s highs and lows, its best skits and most entertaining hosts.

Since retiring, the former cameraman has been traveling the university lecture circuit, speaking about his experiences behind the scenes at the famous sketch comedy show. Students flocked to hear Kasoff speak in Knight Hall last night at an event hosted by the Society of Professional Journalists.

“For almost a year now we have been planning this event, so we’re really excited,” said Brandon Goldner, co-president of this university’s SPJ chapter.

Back in 1975, when creator Lorne Michaels first pitched the show to NBC, the network was skeptical. Why would young people want to watch TV on Saturday nights? But Michaels was persistent, and NBC gave him six episodes to prove them wrong.

Saturday Night Live was an instant hit — now, people sleep on the street outside Rockefeller Plaza, praying to get standby tickets.

To date, it’s still one of the only shows on television produced completely live. Kasoff said working on the show kept him on his toes at all times, because anything can happen.

Kasoff recalled singer Sinead O’ Connor’s infamous 1992 performance of Bob Marley’s “War” on the show. Without warning, O’Connor pulled out a picture of Pope John Paul II and ripped it up to protest sexual abuse in the Catholic church.

“I don’t have to tell you, the control room was silent,” Kasoff said. “The phones in control room lit up like Christmas trees.”

It’s all part of the stress of pulling off a live show that has been put together in a single week. During last night’s presentation, Kasoff showed video footage from behind the scenes, giving students a peek into the scramble that goes on in the control room during taping. When something goes wrong, there’s often a profanity-laced screaming match between the director and cameramen.

“You can’t let your mind drift, you can’t start thinking, ‘what am I going to have for breakfast tomorrow?’” Kasoff said.

Kasoff also did camera work for other NBC events — he covered the Watergate hearings, the Sydney and Salt Lake City Olympics, game shows, news broadcasts and soap operas, and he has won Emmys for his work.

He knew from childhood he wanted to be a cameraman, and after graduating from New York University, he got a job doing just that for NBC in 1965.

“They say if you like what you do, you never work a day in your life,” he said. “I’m lucky — I never worked a day in my life.”

Kasoff said his favorite SNL host is Alec Baldwin — and not just because he thinks Baldwin is funny.

Before his SNL days, Kasoff worked on the set of a soap opera starring Baldwin. When the show needed a female baby for a part, Kasoff volunteered his daughter, who went on to play Baldwin’s niece for three years. For years, “Uncle Alec” always made sure to ask about Kasoff’s daughter whenever he was on the SNL set.

Another time, Paul McCartney stuck around after a dress rehearsal and played Beatles songs with his band, Kasoff said.

Some memories from his SNL days are more sober. Kasoff said he remembers losing fellow cast members, such as Gilda Radnor, Chris Farley and Phil Hartman. He especially remembers the death of John Belushi, who died of a drug overdose in 1982.

“I remember saying, ‘see you in September, John,’ and the next thing I hear, he’s gone,” he said.

Several students said they were inspired by the details of Kasoff’s eventful career.

“Because I’m an aspiring comedian and getting to SNL is one of my highest goals, when I heard about the event through a journalism major friend, I had to go,” said sophomore studio art major Reed Bjorntvedt.

Sophomore journalism major Emma Atlas said because she is still deciding what career path to take, Kasoff’s presentation helped open her eyes to possibilities she otherwise may not have known about.

“It was a really good opportunity, because I hear a lot in school about writing, but you don’t hear a lot about being a cameraman,” she said.