Roxanne 
Mary Cosby is known for her unfiltered honesty and strong convictions, and in a recent interview, she opened up on two deeply personal topics: her son Robert Jr.’s battle with sobriety and her decision to keep Real Housewives of Salt Lake City castmate Britani Bateman out of her church.
Speaking with Dorinda Medley and Kiki Monique on SiriusXM’s Reality Checked, Mary didn’t hold back. She got real about the emotional toll of watching her son struggle, and why, when it comes to her faith, she draws a hard line between sincerity and spectacle.
“It’s his journey”: Mary on Supporting Robert Jr.’s Sobriety
When asked how her son Robert Jr. is doing, Mary gave an honest answer that reflected both love and frustration.
“He’s doing as good as he can. It’s his journey,” she said. “I told him, ‘If you don’t make your mind up, then this is all for nothing.’ And it just takes a made up mind to do and execute whatever you are trying to do, but you can’t do it if your mind’s not made up.”
As a mother, Mary said it’s difficult to watch, but she’s focused on supporting him without trying to control the process.
“I can’t make it up for him. I can just only push him, encourage him and love him. And that’s what I’m doing. And that’s kind of where we are,” she explained. “But he’s still on that road and it’s a hardcore road. It’s, you know, it’s tough to watch as a mom.”
She also revealed how the journey has affected her husband.
“It’s hurtful to see — his dad is most of the time devastated. But at the same time, I have hope and I believe in him.”
Despite the pain, Mary remains confident in her son’s ability to change:
“I know that his ability — I mean, I raised him, so I know he’s got all the tools and he’s got all the will, the willpower that he needs and the support. He just needs to make up his mind.”
“You’re not allowed”: Why Mary Banned Britani from Her Church
Another standout moment came when Mary was asked about letting the RHOSLC cast attend her church. While most were eventually allowed in, one cast member didn’t make the cut — and Mary made sure of it.
“Well, I didn’t invite Britani. I told her, ‘You’re not allowed,’” she said matter-of-factly.
Mary explained her reasoning, pointing to the importance of shared belief and respect in her religious space.
“I don’t want people to sit out in the congregation that doesn’t believe in what I believe in, in that space. You know?”
Dorinda jumped in, suggesting that allowing the wrong energy into a place of worship can be damaging: “Or make a mockery of it… do something silly.”
“Or you’re just fake,” Mary added.
Still, Mary said her perspective on some of her castmates has shifted over time — enough that she eventually felt comfortable welcoming a few of them.
“I feel like I have a bond with everyone now, and I understand them now and they understand somewhat me, and so I felt comfortable with them coming.”
But not everyone reacted the same way during the visit.
“They came and they all cried, all of them except Angie. I don’t know what Angie was doing. Angie’s just a little busy body. She was just looking at everyone speaking, talking to everyone, talking while I’m talking.”
