I have to say, I wasn’t expecting the quick flurry of requests for information about SoapNet’s new series, “General Hospital: Night Shift,” but let it not be said that I don’t follow up on these things.

First off, if you’re not in with the in crowd, here’s a brief explanation of what’s up with this show, courtesy of the network’s official press release:

“General Hospital: Night Shift” – a one-hour scripted original drama – premieres July 12, 2007 at 11PM (ET/PT) on SOAPnet. “General Hospital: Night Shift” is a 13-episode series that goes beyond what is seen in daytime to reveal the lives and loves of “General Hospital’s” favorite characters during the hospital’s night shift.

The series will also reveal new faces and complications in Port Charles. The show starts with a bang when a dangerous explosion sends the hospital into chaos. Robert Guza Jr., head writer for “General Hospital,” and Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer, “General Hospital,” write and produce “General Hospital: Night Shift,” respectively.

I dropped a line to Jori, the show’s publicist over at Disney (SoapNet’s parent company, if you didn’t know) to let them know that I’d definitely be in attendance for their panel at the press tour, though I admitted it was half because our readers were asking about it and half because I wanted a chance to meet Billy Dee Williams, who’ll be one of the stars of the series. It therefore cut me to the quick when she wrote back and said…

“PLEASE DON’T KILL ME…but the panel info is wrong. Billy Dee can’t be at TCA. I’m so sorry! He had a prior engagement that he couldn’t break. But I know how cool it is to meet him, because I’ll admit, I’m still a little starstruck every time I talk to him. ”

Still, Jori was glad to provide me with a few advance photos of the show, along with the assurance that just because Bullz-Eye is “The Guys’ Portal to the Web” doesn’t mean there aren’t some soap addicts lurking amongst its readership. “20% of our viewers are men,” said Jori, “and they are just as hooked and addicted as the women! It surprised me, too, when I started at SOAPnet….but, then, my husband busted out and told me all about how he and his fraternity brothers used to watch ‘Days of our Lives’ in college. And I thought I knew everything about him when I married him!”

Jori apologized for not being able to provide me with a screener of the first few episodes of the show, but I will, at least, be able to catch a look at it when I’m in L.A.. Unfortunately, I arrive at the press tour on the day it premieres, and the panel for the show won’t be ’til the day after, so, in fact, you guys will actually see it before I will! Still, I’ll be sure to get as much info from the panel as I possibly can.

In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that, in the Billy-Dee-less photo above, the actor on the left is named…Jason Thompson. This man should in no way be mistaken for our own Jason Thompson, who may or may not look more like this photo from his MySpace page:

In other words, the guy on “Night Shift” wishes he possessed the swarthy good looks of our JT.