What to do, what to do.

Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you were asked to provide a list of references for a job opportunity that you know has not been checked yet. And, let's say that hypothetically, you're moving to the second stage (i.e., in person interview) and since you provided your initial list of references about a month ago you discovered the current-coworker reference is actually a snake. And, since discovering that said coworker is a snake, you've been working to protect your...um...ankles? But, that in attempting to protect yourself by cutting the grass and making it more obvious that the snake is a snake, said snake has become enraged and become even more snakey? As in, to the point that the snake is regularly bad-mouthing me to my boss and would likely enjoy nothing more than to make sure I don't get the new job (of course, the flip side is that if I don't get the job I will continue to work with her and as of yesterday I am now the Team Lead of Snakeville).

Do you:
1) Make nice with the snake in hope that she will still say nice things should the company call between now and two weeks from now

2) Hope that since the company has not called references so far that they will not now

3) Contact interviewing organization and request to change your reference (and if so, for what reason?)

4) Some other option I have not considered?


Hypothetically, of course.