Mary Cosby recently opened up about a heart-wrenching moment from the show that aired on November 27, where her son, Robert Cosby Jr., shared his struggles with substance abuse and mental health.
While many of her castmates reached out to offer support following the emotional scene, Mary revealed that Lisa Barlow was one notable exception.
On the December 4 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Mary Cosby, 52, responded to a fan’s question asking whether her castmates had offered any support after Robert Jr., 21, opened up about his past battles with drugs and depression. “I’ve heard from all of them except Lisa,” Mary said, prompting a wave of disappointment from the audience. She quickly added, “But, you know, I don’t expect to hear from anyone. It’s fine.”
While Lisa, 49, hasn’t commented directly on the emotional scene, she did express empathy when the moment was discussed during a November appearance on Watch What Happens Live, nodding in agreement as Andy Cohen described it as one of the “rawest, realest, and most heart-wrenching” moments in Real Housewives history.
However, Mary’s co-star Heather Gay was more vocal in her support, reflecting on how important it is for reality TV to portray real, impactful stories. “People watch these shows to see real stories, to see their stories have an impact,” Heather shared.
The scene that sparked this conversation was a deeply emotional one. In it, Robert Jr. bravely shared how his addiction began when he was just 16 years old, experimenting with Xanax at a party. Over time, his addiction escalated, and he mixed Xanax with other substances. He admitted to taking as many as 10 pills at once, struggling to feel anything. At one point, Robert Jr. even said he “wanted to die” and credited his mother with being the reason he didn’t follow through on those dark thoughts.
Mary, visibly moved by her son’s raw honesty, broke down in tears, expressing her disappointment in herself as a parent. “I feel like I let him down somewhere,” she confessed in a confessional. “I’m very aware, and I do know that Robert did smoke weed. I do know he would eat edibles, but yet I just trusted him in my mind, thinking that’s where he would stop… and I was clearly wrong.”
Thankfully, Mary shared on Watch What Happens Live that Robert Jr. is now in a much better place. After seeking help, he went to rehab and stayed for a month, emerging with a new perspective on life. “He did an excellent job. He came out a new person,” Mary revealed, also adding that Robert Jr.’s wife, Alexiana Cosby, is currently in rehab and continuing her own journey to recovery.