Mary Martha Cosby (formerly Harris;[1] born October 17, 1972)[2] is an American television personality. She is best known as an original cast member on the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

Mary Cosby
Born (1972-10-17) October 17, 1972 (age 52)
OccupationTelevision personality
Known forThe Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
Spouse
Robert C. Cosby
(m. 1998)
Children1

Early life

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Mary Cosby is the youngest of her siblings.[1][3] Her grandmother, Rosemary "Mama" Cosby, founded Faith Temple Pentecostal Church in 1968.[4] Following Rosemary's death in January 1997,[5] controversy arose between her widower, Bishop Robert C. Cosby, and her children—specifically Rosalind Cazares, Mary's mother—over the division of Rosemary's assets, which included a printing company, day care, beauty salon, record store, and Gospel radio station.[6][7] This controversy was exacerbated after Robert married Mary, his step-granddaughter, in September 1998.[8][9] Because of the marriage, Mary Cosby is estranged from her mother.[1][3]

Career

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In September 2020, Cosby was announced as a cast member of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.[10] Noah Samton, an executive at NBCUniversal, stated that the show was conceived after they discovered Cosby, and eventually found other personalities for a full The Real Housewives installment in Salt Lake City.[11] In addition to The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, she has also appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.[12]

Having missed the second season's reunion special, she did not return for the show's third season.[13][14] She returned as a friend of the show in its fourth season, and returned as a full-time cast member in the fifth season.[15][16]

Personal life

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She married Dana Harris, but was later divorced.[3] She married Bishop Robert C. Cosby, her step-grandfather, in September 1998.[1] They have a son, Robert Jr.[17] Cosby has described her marriage as an "arranged marriage" and has stated, "It was kind of in my grandma's will for us to marry."[18] Through her marriage, she became the First Lady of Faith Temple Pentecostal Church.[19][20]

Controversies

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Cosby has been the subject of allegations that Faith Temple Pentecostal Church is a cult, particularly from former church members and several of her fellow The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast members.[13][21][22][23][24][25] She has denied the allegations, calling them "false" and "ridiculous".[26]

In April 2021, she was charged with unlawfully providing shelter to a runaway and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She pled not guilty to the charges in August 2021, and the charges were dropped in September 2022.[27][28]

In December 2021, she issued an apology for racist comments she made on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, having stated, "When I think about Jen [Shah], I see heartless, I see a thug. Like, you know, those Mexican people that make all those drugs."[29][30]

In September 2024, she sued two executives of United Security Financial, accusing them of embezzlement.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Mims, Bob (November 7, 1998). "Marriage of Faith Temple Leader To Step-Granddaughter Fuels Feud". The Salt Lake Tribune. Vol. 257, no. 24. p. C-1. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ @Mary_M_Cosby (October 17, 2020). "I am a Libra. Happy Birthday to all the Libras out there. 💋 💕 ♎" (Tweet). Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b c EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | Mary Cosby's Parents Tell All! #RHOSLC. Up and Adam!. January 19, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ Manson, Pamela (March 9, 2007). "Mama Cosby estate feud reopens". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  5. ^ "Dr. Rosemary Redmon Cosby, "Mama"". Indianapolis Recorder. Vol. 102, no. 3. January 18, 1997. p. D7. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  6. ^ "Death Notices". The Indianapolis Star. Vol. 94, no. 215. January 11, 1997. p. B-6. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Mims, Bob (August 4, 1998). "Church Split By Feud For Fortune". The Salt Lake Tribune. Vol. 256, no. 112. p. B-1. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. In a probate dispute pitting two children of the late church founder, Rosemary "Mama" Cosby, against her widower and current Faith Temple leader, Bishop Robert C. Cosby, Thorne said he would appoint a special administrator to oversee a complete inventory of the late preacher's estate. The judge also said Monday that he will issue a restraining order preventing Cosby from selling property or transferring assets that Mama Cosby's daughter, Rosalind Cazares, and son, Ernest Walton, believe their mother owned.
  8. ^ Mims, Bob (December 1, 1998). "Mama Cosby's Children Switch Lawyers". The Salt Lake Tribune. Vol. 257, no. 48. p. B-4. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Mims, Bob (February 20, 1999). "Suit Disputes Faith Temple Founder's Property Transfer". The Salt Lake Tribune. Vol. 257, no. 129. p. D-2. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Hearon, Sarah (September 9, 2020). "'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City': Meet the Cast, Watch the Trailer". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  11. ^ Keegan, Rebecca (January 19, 2024). "'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Is Having a Moment". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  12. ^ Nolfi, Joey (October 11, 2023). "Disgusted 'RHOSLC' star Mary Cosby refuses Ziwe's fish sandwich gift". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Aurthur, Kate (January 7, 2022). "Mary Cosby Ditches 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Reunion, and Presumably Quits the Show". Variety. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Gajewski, Ryan (February 5, 2022). "Mary Cosby No Longer Involved in 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  15. ^ Aurthur, Kate (August 19, 2024). "After Wild Fourth Season, 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Sets Season 5 Premiere Date, Bravo Releases First Trailer". Variety. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  16. ^ Strause, Jackie (August 19, 2024). "'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Sets Cast and Season 5 Return Date". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  17. ^ McCormack, Aly (September 20, 2022). "RHOSLC: Mary Cosby Celebrates Charges Against Her Being Dropped". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  18. ^ Costabile, Sabrina (November 12, 2020). "RHOSLC: Mary Cosby's Marriage To Step-Grandfather Was 'Arranged'". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Means, Sean P. (September 19, 2024). "'Real Housewife' Mary Cosby is suing the people who ran the finances of her church". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  20. ^ Fox, Derick (September 20, 2024). "'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star sues executives of her church's business firm". KTVX. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  21. ^ Felbin, Sarah (January 17, 2022). "'RHOSLC' Star Mary Cosby Says She Isn't Running A Cult". Women's Health. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  22. ^ Lylo, Madeline (January 18, 2022). "RHOSLC: Mary Cosby's Church Reportedly Shut Down". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  23. ^ Witter, Brad (September 24, 2021). "Former Church Members Allege 'RHOSLC' Star Mary Cosby Is Running A Cult". Bustle. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  24. ^ Monteil, Abby (September 16, 2021). "'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Star Mary Cosby Accused of Running A Cult by Ex-Congregation Members". Decider. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  25. ^ Roundtree, Cheyenne (September 16, 2021). "Is This 'Real Housewives' Star Really Running a Cult? Ex-Church Members Say Yes". The Daily Beast. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  26. ^ Sander, Brice (January 27, 2021). "'RHOSLC': Mary Cosby on Internet Allegations & Going MIA From Season 1". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  27. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (September 13, 2022). "Charge of harboring a runaway dismissed against ex-'Real Housewives of SLC' star Mary Cosby". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  28. ^ Schonfeld, Alexandra (September 19, 2022). "Criminal Charges Dropped Against Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Star Mary M. Cosby". People. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  29. ^ Towers, Andrea (December 13, 2021). "'RHOSLC' star Mary Cosby apologizes for racist comment about Jen Shah". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  30. ^ Brockington, Ariana (December 13, 2021). "'Real Housewives' star Mary Cosby apologizes for controversial comment". Today. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
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