Gloria Swansong is clearly based on Gloria Swanson, from the film 'Sunset Boulevard.' In both cases, the character is an aging movie star who hasn't made a movie in years but still believes herself to be a big star. Both Glorias also have a German butler.
Carl Sagander (the astronomer) and John D. Rockefeather (the business tycoon) are parody versions of Carl Sagan and John D. Rockefeller. Sagander frequently says "billions and billions," in the same way that Sagan said it on his famous television show, 'Cosmos.'
The name "Hindentanic" is a mash up of two famous disasters: the Hindenburg (which was a blimp) and the Titanic (which was called "unsinkable" rather than "uncrashable.)
The piano player/singer is a parody of Burt Bacharach. The song "Meteors Keep Falling On My Head" is a takeoff of Bacharach's famous song 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.'
The disaster film director character called Irwin Mallard is a parody of famous film director and producer Irwin Allen, who produced the disaster films "The Poseidon Adventure" and "The Towering Inferno".