'Saturday Night Live' pays tribute to David Bowie

NEW YORK, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen returned to the show this weekend to pay tribute to David Bowie, who died Jan. 10 at the age of 69.

Armisen, 49, appeared near the end of the episode, which was guest hosted by Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor Adam Driver, and explained how influential Bowie was to him as an artist.

"When I was in high school and living in Long Island, I stayed up to see David Bowie play on Saturday Night Live," Armisen told the audience.

"And watching him was, for me, a life-changing experience. He had these back-up singers that were like choir singers from the future, and a toy poodle with a TV monitor in his mouth," Armisen recalled. "David Bowie transformed whatever space he was in, whatever medium he was using, and that night for me, he transformed live television."

Armisen then introduced a clip of Bowie performing "The Man Who Sold the World" on the show in 1979.