What does Demi have against Cougars?

You would think of all people Demi Moore would understand cougars need love too, no? Her relationship with Ashton Kutcher and emergence as the de facto queen of the cougars more or less resuscitated her dying celebrity. So why, in this interview with W Magazine, is she throwing all the cougars she helped inspire to the proverbial wolves?

According to CNN, "The 'Ghost' actress also told the magazine if people feel the need to assign her a label she prefers the title “puma” to the more derogatory 'cougar.'"

Um, okay. Why exactly is the term "puma" any different than "cougar"? How exactly is it more "derogatory"? We don't think it's derogatory at all, of course, and neither do you, but assuming she thinks it is, well, why?

A puma and a cougar in the animal kingdom are the same thing. Wikipedia says so.

We'll try to give her the benefit of the doubt. It doesn't actually say she thinks "cougar" is derogatory. Perhaps the writer (Kevin West) was simply editorializing - filling in the blanks, as it were. Still, unless she just would rather be associated with a popular athletic shoe, we have to assume that's the implicit reason she prefers "puma," which of course in cougar parlance is really a cougar-in-training for no other reason than because we say so, and Demi is obviously not training for anything.

Whatever, it is disheartening. Demi embrace your cougar! Millions are looking to you for guidance. Don't abandon them now!


(We still love you, Demi, and wish you a happy 47th!)