Second $1 Million Finalist Named in 'Gold Rush' Finale.

Michael Kearney of Nashville, Tenn. Earns One of Three Spots in $1 Million Gold Rush Finale

$1 Million Finale to Play out on Set of Entertainment Tonight; Winner to Be Announced Thursday, 11/9 on ET and AOL.com

DULLES, Va. & LOS ANGELES -- Michael Kearney of Nashville, Tenn., who won the $100,000 ninth round Gold Competition held in Atlanta, has earned one of three spots in the $1 million Gold Rush (www.aol.com/goldrush) finale. Kearny, who was a child prodigy and the world's youngest college graduate at age 10, bested five others in the game's semi-final round. Kearney will face-off against Matt Green of Indialantic, Fla., and one other yet-to-be-named player in the Gold Rush $1 million finale to be filmed on the set of Entertainment Tonight, airing Thursday, November 9 on both ET and at AOL.COM/GOLDRUSH (www.aol.com/goldrush).

Kearney is one step closer to winning the game's grand prize, and earning bragging rights as the first winner of Gold Rush, the groundbreaking interactive game from Mark Burnett and AOL. In the second of three semi-final rounds to determine who will face off for the $1 million in gold, Kearney defeated winners from rounds seven through 12 of Gold Rush, including Andi Moore (Everett, Wash.), Adam Raichel (Chicago), Colleen Demark (Collegeville, Pa.), Linda Young (Alger, Ohio) and David Delaserda (Fremont, Ohio).

The six players faced off against one another in a fast-paced version of a Gold Rush mainstay called "The Charader," where contestants have to guess titles of movies and TV shows as they're acted out. The first three players to buzz in with the correct answer moved onto the final round of speed trivia to determine the second of three $1 million finalists.

"This feels a lot like winning the $100,000 in the sense that I didn't think I would be here. But I'm still here and have the same chance at winning the $1 million as I did the $100,000 in Atlanta," said Kearney following his winning performance. "When I started this, I figured there were nine people between me and $1 million. There are five down, and now only two more to go."

Kearney, who at 22 already has three degrees and is currently working on a doctorate in chemistry, graduated high school at age 6, earned a BA in Anthropology from the University of South Alabama at 10, a master's degree in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University at 14, and a master's degree in Computer Science from Vanderbilt University at 18. He is currently completing a doctorate in chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University, where he also works as a teaching assistant in the chemistry department.

Beginning today (Tuesday, November 7), the second $1 million semi-final round of Gold Rush will air, free on demand, on AOL.COM/GOLDRUSH (www.aol.com/goldrush) throughout the month. The winner of Gold Rush will be announced on Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, November 9.

"We're eager to see the three finalists battle it out for the $1 million in gold," said Gold Rush producer Mark Burnett.

Gold Rush[TM], hosted by Entertainment Tonight Co-Anchor Mark Steines, asks players to answer a series of pop culture challenges using clues scattered throughout the world of media and pop culture - in CBS Television Network programming, popular magazines, radio shows, and on AOL.com.

Log onto www.aol.com/goldrush for more details on the game.

About Mark Burnett

Mark Burnett is the leading producer of reality content for both primetime television and the internet. Mark Burnett has revolutionized television with hits such as Eco-Challenge, Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender, Rock Star, Martha Stewart in syndication and On the Lot. Mark Burnett has also partnered with AOL on the eagerly anticipated adventure Gold Rush, the first-ever unscripted project to be produced exclusively for the internet. Mark Burnett has also successfully reintroduced product placement as an integral part of each of his shows and his companies have garnered a total of 43 Emmy[R] nominations since 2001. Mark Burnett was listed as the #1 Most Valuable Player by TV Guide and in Time Magazine's Top 100 most influential people in the world today.

About AOL

AOL is a global Web services company that operates some of the most popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software and services, runs the country's largest Internet access business, and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., AOL LLC is based in Dulles, Virginia. AOL and its subsidiaries also have operations in Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.

For free hi-res stills of Michael Kearney and all previous Gold Rush winners, please log onto www.aolepk.com/goldrush.