Mary Cosby on Why She “Questioned” Filming Son’s Addiction

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Credit: Shutterstock, Brvo

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City recently had its finale, and everyone is talking about the shady game that saw the cast read mean text messages about one another. However, one scene from the season that stands above the rest is the heartbreaking conversation between Mary Cosby and her son, Robert Cosby Jr.

The RHOSLC star is now opening up about her initial hesitation around sharing his story with the millions of people who watch the series.

Viewers knew for a while that Robert had some issues related to addiction. But the moment when he and Mary opened up on the show was the first time the audience saw them face the demons head-on. For the most part, the internet rallied around Mary and Robert and expressed appreciation for their vulnerability. 

The decision for Mary and Robert to discuss his battle with addiction on the hit Bravo series was a big one. Recently, she did an interview with NBC’s Today and revealed that she had several doubts along the way.

According to Mary, “It’s a fine line between putting your kids out there and then protecting them.”

She went on, “It was just something that I questioned all the way up until it aired.” Mary also spoke to the outlet about the public’s reaction to the emotionally charged scene. She explained, “I went into it in the unknown of how it was going to be received, and when it was received in such a positive light, people responded (with) love, and it touched them. … I couldn’t have been more satisfied.”

Regarding why she was hesitant to discuss Robert’s issues on the show, Mary admitted that she’s a “helicopter mom” and that she wants to “protect my son at all costs.”

Mary then said that the tabloids had contacted her before the scene aired and threatened to expose that Robert was in rebab. She added, “I was like, well, I’m just going to let this air, and then they can all just be quiet. It really worked.”

Despite the difficulty of sharing such a personal story about her son’s life, Mary said it’s “the best thing” her family has done. Since the scene, Mary has said that Robert is in a better place and that their relationship has even improved. 

Fans can see Mary when the RHOSLC reunion begins airing on January 22 on Bravo.