‘The Amazing Race 34’ Fans Call Sharik ‘Entitled’ and ‘Annoying’ After Wanting to Quit in Episode 4
The internet can be a brutal place sometimes, and that was especially the case for Sharik Atkinson after The Amazing Race 34 Episode 4 aired on CBS. The young racer struggled during the Megaleg, and many fans weren’t happy with Sharik’s behavior after completing a challenging Roadblock.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from The Amazing Race 34 Episode 4, “Everyone’s an Artist.”]
Sharik wanted to quit in ‘The Amazing Race 34’ Episode 4
The Amazing Race 34 Episode 4 picked up where episode 3 left off. The 10 teams drove from Bologna to Florence, Italy, to compete in the second half of the Megaleg. Their first task was a Roadblock at Villa Bardini, where one team member had to use various tools, including a chisel, to remove plaster from a sculpture.
At first, some contestants thought they had to sculpt the statue, not knowing it was already done and hiding beneath the plaster. But they quickly realized the truth. Still, some racers struggled more than others. In particular, Sharik, who was competing in her first Roadblock after her father, Linton Atkinson, did the first three, had trouble during the challenge.
She became frustrated and tired after chiseling away at the sculpture. Sharik ended up finishing the Roadblock ahead of two other teams. However, her negative attitude didn’t change. Linton tried encouraging her and lifting her spirits, but Sharik had checked out.
Next, teams had to complete a Detour. They could do “Eye for Fashion” or “Window of Opportunity.” In “Eye for Fashion,” the duos had to find three fashion photoshoots, memorize what the models were wearing, and correctly identify the outfits and locations. In “Window of Opportunity,” teams had to collect three dishes from small windows in the city and deliver them to customers.
Linton and Sharik chose “Window of Opportunity,” but Sharik continuously expressed that she wanted to quit The Amazing Race 34 and go home. In the end, Linton convinced Sharik to help, and they finished in ninth place. Host Phil Keoghan asked them if they wanted to continue in the Race or quit. They decided to stay, and Rich Kuo and Dom Jones were eliminated.
Fans respond to Sharik’s behavior
Following the intense episode, The Amazing Race 34 fans shared their opinions about Sharik on Reddit. One fan wrote, “Linton and Sharik were a trainwreck team this episode, but Sharik wanted to quit after even one task! That’s quite disappointing to me.”
A Reddit user commented, “How entitled and out of touch with reality and hardship do you have to be to even THINK about giving up on a 1/9 shot at a million dollars because your ARMS ARE SORE from doing an hour of first-year art degree task?”
“Yeah, watching her sulk through the whole Detour was just annoying,” someone else added. “Like, what a spoiled brat. You have this awesome opportunity, and you just whine. And even more, it’s like, suck it up for your dad. He clearly wants to be here. Think about someone other than yourself.”
A few ‘The Amazing Race 34’ fans defend Sharik
While many fans judged Sharik for wanting to quit in The Amazing Race 34 Episode 4, others rushed to her defense.
“I think it’s really easy to judge people on TV while we’re watching them from the comfort of our own homes,” a Reddit user explained. “It was an exhausting leg, after all, so they were allowed moan and gripe about being mentally drained and exhausted … People here are trying to invalidate her personal experience, and I think that’s even more disappointing.”
A fan commented, “I’m gonna keep throwing it out there. Everyone’s trashing Sharik at the moment, but I’m not judging because that seemed like something a neurodivergent person would do.”
Following the episode, Sharik responded to fans on her Instagram story, “If you have something unkind to say [about] tonight’s episode, remember that neurodivergent people exist and can be triggered by anything! This was a 16-hour day with a major trigger at hour 12, so please be kind.” Sharik has since made her Instagram account private.
The Amazing Race 34 airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
