Glass was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Barry Glass, an accountant, and Shirley Glass, a psychologist and infidelity researcher. He attended Milford Mill High School in Baltimore (County) where he was active in student theater. He later attended Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois, but found himself frustrated with students who were "only interested in getting graduate degrees and making money."[citation needed] He then transferred to Brown University, where he majored in semiotics.