Overall - visuals, gags, timing, a surprise resolution, characterization, and everything else were fine.
The problem is that it relies on a contrivance: specifically that the Mane & Supporting Cast shun the CMC after being discovered as Gabby Gums, and then proceed to do nothing.
I would think that while publicly humiliating those that spread the gossip might be one reaction, the more logical and expected would be to address the one that published that gossip without impunity. Meaning that the Mane Cast should have been seen approaching Cheerilee at one point and complaining about what her paper (the one she was supposedly advising) was saying. This would then have required some scene with Cheerilee admonishing DT about Gabby Gums, followed with DT outright ignoring her as an Alpha Bitch would likely do, and blackmailing the CMC into another GG columns. The rest of the ep, then, played out, would have been a lot more satisfying, with the CMC getting their happy resolution and DT what's coming to her.
Without any scene where the Mane Cast even question anyone else beyond the CMC about the paper regarding the gossip, it all makes them feel aloof and hypocritical, and puts a very negative spin on the episode. Heck, even altering the ending, where, as, after GG's finale column, DT decides to publish it anyway, to have Cheerilee along with Twilight and some others of the Mane Cast with angry looks on their faces barge in and put a stop to here, giving at least the impression that there was complaints about the GG columns. That would given the adult Mane Cast some responsibility for their own actions.
One glaring fault - but once overlooked, otherwise enjoyable
Overall - visuals, gags, timing, a surprise resolution, characterization, and everything else were fine.
The problem is that it relies on a contrivance: specifically that the Mane & Supporting Cast shun the CMC after being discovered as Gabby Gums, and then proceed to do nothing.
I would think that while publicly humiliating those that spread the gossip might be one reaction, the more logical and expected would be to address the one that published that gossip without impunity. Meaning that the Mane Cast should have been seen approaching Cheerilee at one point and complaining about what her paper (the one she was supposedly advising) was saying. This would then have required some scene with Cheerilee admonishing DT about Gabby Gums, followed with DT outright ignoring her as an Alpha Bitch would likely do, and blackmailing the CMC into another GG columns. The rest of the ep, then, played out, would have been a lot more satisfying, with the CMC getting their happy resolution and DT what's coming to her.
Without any scene where the Mane Cast even question anyone else beyond the CMC about the paper regarding the gossip, it all makes them feel aloof and hypocritical, and puts a very negative spin on the episode. Heck, even altering the ending, where, as, after GG's finale column, DT decides to publish it anyway, to have Cheerilee along with Twilight and some others of the Mane Cast with angry looks on their faces barge in and put a stop to here, giving at least the impression that there was complaints about the GG columns. That would given the adult Mane Cast some responsibility for their own actions.