NAMES & FACES

Ben's Cooking a Book

The 50th anniversary of Ben's Chili Bowl is next August, and Nizam Ali (son of founders Ben and Virginia Ali, who runs the place with his brother, Kamal) is busy planning events to mark the occasion -- not the least of which is finishing a book about the mom-and-pop hot dog palace that still draws long lines and celebrity attention.

"There's so much behind-the-scenes stuff," Ali said. "We get so much press, and we love it -- but it's kind of surface press. No one digs deep into the family history."

The photo-oriented coffee-table book will span 50 years of history with pictures, detailed captions and a few original recipes ("Mom is a wonderful chef," Ali said). Tracey Gold Bennett, author of two books about African American history in D.C., will write. No word yet on a title or who will publish it, but Ali said he's shopping around a proposal.

Other Ben's anniversary tidbits: a street festival, a gala at the Lincoln Theatre, a free concert at the 9:30 club and a showing of a documentary about The Bowl are all in the works for Aug. 21 and 22.

'Bounty Hunter' Pulled After Slur

The latest celebrity to have his own words come back to bite him is television bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman. Two days after the online posting of a private phone conversation in which the reality star repeatedly used a racial slur, A&E cable network has pulled his show indefinitely.

"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future," the network said in a statement yesterday. "We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun."

A&E officials said their hit series has not been canceled, although at least two advertisers have pulled out of the show and civil rights groups have called for its cancellation, according to the Associated Press.

In Chapman's conversation with his son, posted online Wednesday by the National Enquirer, he repeatedly used a racial epithet in referring to his son's black girlfriend.

His attorney said Chapman is not a racist and vowed never to use the word again.

Expenses of a Diva

Court papers released Thursday in the Britney Spears- Kevin Federline child custody case break down the finances of each feuding pop parent. The per-month greatest hits:

¿ Spears, photographed often at Taco Bell and Starbucks, spends $4,758 on dining out. Federline reports $1,500 for the same.

¿ Federline keeps his clothing expenses to $2,000, while Spears spends $16,000 (perhaps not budgeting for underwear).

¿ Spears drops $102,000 on entertainment, gifts and vacations (Federline keeps his fun to a modest $5,000), yet still finds $500 in the couch cushions for her charity, the Britney Spears Foundation, which helps various children's causes.

Belafonte Sounds Off

Singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte was in fiery form on the podium Thursday night, delivering a keynote address at a J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association event in Prince George's County.

Belafonte railed at the judges and lawyers gathered at Martin's Crosswinds, asking them to use their influence for more than just being residents of the country's most affluent black county, The Post's Hamil Harris reports.

"As a matter of public policy, we are building more prisons; we have more cells than we have schoolrooms," Belafonte said. "What are we telling our young generations to come? We can't give you an after-school program, we can't give you this, we can't give you that, but we can give you 25 to life."

After speaking, Belafonte walked past most of the VIP guests but paused to speak with Bryan Crawford, 23, who said he came to the event because one day he hopes to be a lawyer.

End Note

Splitsville: Rocker Carlos Santana and his wife, Deborah, are divorcing after 34 years of marriage, Reuters reports. Deborah cited irreconcilable differences in an Oct. 19 filing in Marin County Superior Court in California.

-- Marissa Newhall, from staff and wire reports