- Will from If I Fall, If I Die makes organ compositions that involve repeating the same three-note motif for as long as his fingers can manage, which he compares to Philip Glass.
- P.D.Q. Bach's piece "Prelude to Einstein on the Fritz" parodies Philip Glass's style with the string section playing five-finger exercises, the piano playing Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude in C major" from The Well-Tempered Klavier at double speed, and a bass voice (presumably Peter Schickele) chanting "Koy-hotsy-totsy".
- Emo Phillips, during his Live at Hasty Pudding days, performed a parody of Einstein on the Beach called Einstein at the Beach.note In it, Einstein makes a fool of himself trying to woo a sunbathing woman, and then ninjas show up. Glass gave Emo permission to perform the parody.
- Glass appears as a character in David Ives's short play Philip Glass Buys A Loaf of Bread, which spoofs Glass's repetitive musical style.
Other
- Canadian figure skater Matthew Markell performed to Étude No. 2 for his short program
during the 2018-2019 competitive season. - A popular "Knock Knock" Joke among music nerds:Knock knock!
Who's there?
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Philip Glass.
