Mary Cosby is to problematic commentary what Jen Shah is to legal problems in the Real Housewives franchise – and that's saying a lot. In the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s first season, Cosby was heavily criticized for indications that she wouldn't go into 7-Eleven gas stations if Black people were present, as well as saying at the reunion that Black men weren't her “taste.” She's made a whole slew of new controversial remarks in Season 2, but following the latest racially insensitive comment in the most recent episode, Bravo fans are in an uproar.
Not only has she criticized her co-star Heather Gay for being “chubby” in Season 2, but Mary Cosby has also previously compared Jen Shah to Mexican criminals. On the December 19 episode, though, the reality star said to the franchise’s first-ever Vietnamese castmate Jennie Nguyen that she “loved slanted-eyes.” Nguyen wasn't happy about the comment in a confessional interview and neither were Real Housewives of Salt Lake City fans on Twitter. As one user put it,
Oh Mary Cosby, the chubby comment, the Mexican comment, the black men at 7/11 comment and now the slanted eye comment to Jennie. What is wrong with you? #RHOSLCDecember 20, 2021
One fan in fact questioned castmates Lisa Barlow and Whitney Rose if they were going to call out Mary Cosby “for being a racist” on the show. Barlow actually replied to them, saying that she was indeed going to address the situation in future episodes. However, many viewers are hoping for more serious consequences like Cosby being “fully cancelled” and fired from the show entirely.
Following the airing of her contentious comments about Mexicans, Mary Cosby issued an apology on her Twitter account, saying she “used poor judgment” in her word choice. She asserted that, as an African American, she has lived “racism first-hand” and it was “reckless” of her. However, the statement’s font use and style prompted its own backlash.
One Real Housewives of Salt Lake City fan joked that the next greeting card-like apology is imminent for Cosby’s racially insensitive words concerning Asian people. See below:
Mary Cosby about to hit us with another one of these #rhoslc pic.twitter.com/upJeeW1cEUDecember 20, 2021
The particular mannerisms and brand of shade coming from Mary Cosby since Season 1 – that aren't racially suggestive – have managed to somewhat endear fans to her. Her armpit odor gland removal, gagging at hospital smells, high-end fashion-hoarding tendencies... all very humorous and typical light fare for the Real Housewives universe. But the actually racially insensitive viewpoints are lessening that effect. After the most recent controversial episode, one viewer reacted,
I have a love/hate relationship with Mary Cosby. She makes me cackle but she also pisses me off. #RHOSLC pic.twitter.com/zjiiyEBeygDecember 20, 2021
The teaser for next week suggests that Mary Cosby doubles down about the “slanted-eye” comment when confronted by Jennie Nguyen. If so, it's not looking good for the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star who is already facing down accusations of being the cult leader of her church. Keep up with new episodes of the show on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo!
